37? 


REESE    LIBRARY 

OF    THK 

UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Receive^. 
Accessions  No.2tJT'2~4£j-       Shelf  No. 


GOD 

THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

AND 

THE  BANK  OF  FAITH. 


OR,  A  DISPLAY  OF  THE  PROVIDENCES  OP  GOD,  WHICH  HAVE  AT  SUNDRY  TIMES 
ATTENDED  THE  AUTHOR. 

i 


BY  WILLIAM  ^HUNTINGTON,  S.  S. 

Minister  of  the  Gospel  at  Providence  Chapel,  Little  Titchfield  street,  and  at  Monkwell  street  Meeting. 


UNIVERSITY 


And  he  said  unto  them,  When  I  sent  you  without  pun*,  arid  scrip,  and 


,  ,  , 

•hoes,  lacked  ye  any  thing  f  and  they  said,  Nothing.  —  Luke  xiii.  35. 


8KOOND      AMEKICAN,     FROM     THE     SEVENTH     LONDON     EDITION. 


LOWELL: 

P.    D.    &    T.    S.    EDMANDS. 

BOSTON: 
SAXTON  &  PEIRCE. 

1842. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-one,  by 

P.    D.    &    T.    S.    EDMANDS, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


BOSTON. 

PRINTED    BY    8.    N.    DICKINSON, 
WASHINGTON    STREET. 


UNIVERSITY 


TO    THE 

CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCHES  OF   CHRIST, 

AT 

PROVIDENCE  CHAPEL  IN  LONDON, 

AND      AT 

RICHMOND    IN    SURREY. 


Dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  longed-for  in  the 
bowels  of  Christ  —  whom  I  love  in  the  faith,  and  to  whom 
the  love  of  Christ  hath  constrained  me  to  become  a  debtor 
—  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  be  multiplied  among  you, 
through  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

I  CHOSE  to  dedicate  this  little  treatise  to  you,  because, 
sometimes,  those  providences  which   appear  rather  out  of 
the  common  line,  are  hard  nuts  in  the  mouth  of  a  weak  be- 
liever ;  but  some  of  you  have  known  me  from  the  beginning,  . 
and  have  been  eye-witnesses  of  most  of  the  Jfacts  which  I  j 
am  going  to  relate.     And  if  you  will  allow  me  to  make  an 
honest  confession,  my  conscience  has  often  lashed  rne  for 
not  keeping  a  diary,  or  rather  minuting  down  the  many 
conspicuous  providences  of  God,  which  have  appeared  to 
me  in  times  of  trouble ;  but  like  ungrateful  Israel,  I  went 
the  only  way  to  forget  his  works,  and  to  be  unmindful  of 
the  rock  of  my  salvation ;  and  now  I  have  nothing  to  trust  / 
to  on  this  occasion  but  my  own  treacherous  memory,  un- 


IV  DEDICATION. 

less  the  Lord  be  pleased  to  send  the  Comforter  to  me ;  and 
if  he  come,  he  will  "bring  all  things  to  my  remembrance," 
whatsoever  God  hath  said  unto  me  in  a  way  of  providence. 

I  am  sure  "  the  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fulness  thereof, 
the  world  and  all  that  is  therein ;  all  the  cattle  of  the  forest 
are  his,  and  so  are  the  flocks  of  a  thousand  hills  —  yea,  the 
corn,  and  the  wine,  the  oil,  the  wool,  and  the  flax;"  yea, 
and  even  the  wicked  deceiver,  as  well  as  the  deceived,  are 
the  Lord's ;  and  it  is  he  that  maketh  one  man  poor  and 
another  rich ;  that  bringeth  down  and  lifteth  up ;  "  and  no 
man  can  add  to  the  fixed  stature  of  God,  whether  the  stature 
be  in  grace  or  in  providence. 

"  The  battle,"  saith  the  wise  man,  "  is  not  to  the  strong, 
nor  the  race  to  the  swift,  nor  bread  to  men  of  skill ;  "  the 
weak  are  often  seen  to  win  the  field,  and  the  cripple  to  win 
the  heavenly  race;  and  even  fools  to  accumulate  the  great- 
est fortunes.  There  is  no  adding  a  cubit  to  this  stature, 
even  in  the  least  circumstance  —  then  why  take  we  thought 
for  the  rest  ? 

I  believe  God  never  intended  me  to  be  a  preacher  to  the 
rich,  because  he  has  ever  kept  me  dependent  on  his  provi- 
dence. Had  I  been  rich,  I  might  have  been  tempted  to 
trust  in  uncertain  riches  ;  and  I  know  well  that  "  where  the 
treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart  be  also."  It  must  be  a  hard 
task  to  preach  against  covetousness  while  the  heart  is  trad- 
ing at  the  stocks.  I  fear  this  is  the  case  with  some  who  are 
called  ministers ;  but  sin  always  brings  its  own  punishment 
with  it  —  such  can  have  no  communion  with  God,  nor 
peace  of  conscience ;  for  it  is  sin  that  separateth  between 
God  and  the  soul ;  and  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all 
evil.  Nor  have  I  any  reason  to  believe  that  God  ever  in- 
tended me  for  a  preacher  to  please  pharisees,  because  he 
hath  for  many  years  given  me  an  humbling  sight,  and  a  deep 


DEDICATION.  V 

sense  of  my  own  wretched  depravity ;  so  that  I  dare  not 
place  any  confidence  in  the  flesh,  nor  even  in  the  fruits  of 
faith ;  knowing  that  a  man  can  merit  nothing,  allowing  that 
he  were  able  to  keep  the  law  perfectly  —  "When  ye  have 
done  all  these  things,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants ;  we 
have  done  no  more  than  was  our  duty  to  do."  But  I  come 
infinitely  short  of  doing  all,  therefore  can  never  boast  of 
doing  a  part.  By  nature  we  are  all  fond  of  a  specious  form 
of  religion;  and  God  permitted  me  to  use  a  dry  form  for 
many  years;  but  he  never  regarded  any  of  those  prayers 
put  up  by  me,  nor  removed  the  guilt  of  my  sin,  in  answer 
to  them ;  therefore,  to  use  an  English  proverb,  "  I  shall 
never  speak  well  of  that  bridge,  because  it  never  bore  me 
safe  over  the  stream." 

I  know  that  God  tells  us  to  turn  away  from  those  who 
"  have  a  form  of  godliness,"  but  deny  the  power  thereof. 
And  dry  forms  of  devotion,  used  by  people  who  deny  the 
grace  and  spirit  of  God,  is  no  better  than  a  stage  for  anti- 
christ, a  varnish  for  sepulchres,  Matt,  xxiii.  27 ;  an  apparel 
for  harlots,  Isa.  iv.  1 ;  a  winding-sheet  for  pharisees,  Isa. 
xxx.  1 ;  a  bribe  of  dead  works  put  into  the  hands  of  an 
honest  conscience,  Heb.  ix.  14 ;  a  trading  stock  for  blind 
guides,  Isa.  Ivi.  11;  a  dish  of  husks  to  stifle  convictions, 
Luke  xv.  16 ;  a  mongrel  service  offered  to  God  and  Mam- 
mon, Mat.  vi.  24 ;  the  mimicry  of  hypocrites,  Mat  xv.  8 ; 
a  starting  hole  to  shun  the  cross,  Isa.  xlii.  22 ;  and  infideli- 
ty's last  refuge. 

God  permitted  me  for  many  years  to  try  what  a  form  of 
devotion  would  do  for  me ;  but,  like  the  poor  woman  in  the 
gospel,  I  got  worse  instead  of  better ;  therefore  was  obliged 
to  lay  it  by,  and  let  the  words  of  my  mouth  be  the  medita- 
tions of  my  heart.  In  this  way  the  Holy  Ghost  helped  my 
infirmities ;  therefore  I  must  preach  up  spiritual  prayer ; 


VI  DEDICATION. 

and,  as  Christ  answered  the  spirit's  call,  I  must  preach 
Jesus  as  the  eternal  God  that  hears  and  answers  prayer. 
This  is  a  part  of  the  ministry  which  I  have  received  of  the 
Lord ;  and  I  hope,  through  grace,  to  take  heed  to  it,  and 
fulfil  it. 

I  believe  God  intended  that  I  should  preach  faith ;  be- 
cause he  has  kept  me  dependent  by  faith  on  himself  both 
for  spiritual  and  temporal  supplies.  And  I  am  persuaded 
that  he  intended  me  for  a  minister  to  the  ignorant  and  to 
the  poor.  To  the  ignorant,  because  he  sent  me  to  preach, 
and  gave  me  many  seals  to  my  ministry,  before  I  could  read 
a  chapter  in  .the  Bible  with  propriety  —  to  the  poor,  be- 
cause he  sent  me  without  a  penny  in  my  pocket ;  therefore, 
as  a  minister  of  the  poor,  I  hope  to  magnify  mine  office. 

The  vanity  of  worldly  wisdom  —  the  excellency  of  divine 
knowledge  —  the  uncertainty  of  worldly  riches  —  the  pre- 
ciousness  of  faith's  wealth  —  the  blessed  religion  of  Jesus, 
and  the  insufficiency  of  human  inventions  —  all  these  seem 
to  be  some  of  the  things  belonging  to  the  gospel  which  is 
committed  to  my  trust.  And  I  know  that  it  becomes  a 
steward  to  be  found  faithful,  and  not  to  waste  his  master's 
goods. 

What  farther  convinces  me  of  my  being  appointed  by 
God  for  a  preacher  to  the  poor  is  this  —  that  the  many  seals 
of  my  ministry  consisf  chiefly  of  the  poor,  both  in  town  and 
country;  so  that  I  can  adopt  with  propriety  the  language  of 
the  apostle,  and  say,  "  You  see  your  calling,  brethren,  how 
that  not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty, 
not  many  noble,  are  called :  but  God  hath  chosen  the  fool- 
ish things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath 
chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  things 
that  are  mighty ;  and  base  things  of  the  world,  and  things 
which  are  despised,  hath  God  chosen ;  yea,  and  things  which 


DEDICATION.  Vll 

are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  things  that  are,  that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  his  presence."  1  Cor.  i.  27,  28. 

Although  my  ministry  is  chiefly  among  the  poor,  yet  it  is 
a  copy  the  Saviour  has  set,  and  it  is  very  much  like  his 
own ;  for  no  man  can  prove  Jesus  a  rich  man  after  the 
flesh,  nor  a  scholar  after  the  flesh,  nor  a  doctor  after  the 
flesh,  nor  a  bishop  after  the  flesh.  And  as  for  the  followers 
of  his  personal  ministry,  they  were  poor;  for  "unto  the 
poor  the  gospel  was  preached : "  and  those  who  received 
the  glad  tidings  were  babes  in  human  knowledge  —  "I 
thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou 
hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  babes ;  even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seem- 
eth  good  in  thy  sight."  Let  us  then  take  all  the  encourage- 
ment which  God  has  given  us  to  be  contented  in  our  re- 
spective stations,  even  though  it  be  in  servitude ;  for  Jesus 
was  among  men  as  one  that  serveth.  As  Christ  himself 
then  is  entirely  on  our  side  of  the  question,  let  us  evermore 
rejoice  in  this  glorious  pattern. 

One  reason  for  my  writing  this  treatise  is,  because  we  are 
often  tempted  to  believe  that  God  takes  no  notice  of  our 
temporal  concerns.  As  the  thoughts  of  the  salvation  of  our 
souls  lie  near  our  hearts,  and  as  that  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance, we  think  God  will  not  forget  that ;  but  as  for  our 
private  concerns  in  life,  we  suppose  that  they  are  beneath 
his  notice  and  inspection.  This  latter  is  a  temptation  from 
the  devil ;  and  such  I  hope  I  shall  make  it  appear  in  the 
following  treatise. 

Another  reason  why  I  have  written  this  book  is,  that  the 
word  of  God  abounds  with  many  similar  circumstances  of 
the  divine  providence  of  God ;  such  as,  changing  the  color 
of  Jacob's  flocks  and  herds  —  the  Lord  making  Abraham 
rich  in  cattle  —  feeding  the  prophet  by  a  raven  —  multiply- 


VI11  DEDICATION. 

ing  the  widow's  oil  and  meal  —  sending  the  apostles  out 
without  purse  or  scrip  —  feeding  Israel  in  the  wilderness* 
with  manna  —  and  cutting  off  that  rich  glutton  Nabal,  in 
order  to  relieve  poor  hungry  David.     All  these  are  striking 
instances  of  God's  tender  regard  for  the  poor  of  his  flock. 

I  shall  only  treat  of  what  hath  occurred  in  the  course  of 
my  own  experience,  of  which  things  many  of  you  are  liv- 
ing witnesses.  And  may  God  bless  the  work  for  the  en- 
couragement of  his  children's  faith,  patience,  and  watch- 
fulness. To  this  end  I  shall  descend  to  tljejnostjrnmute 
circumstances,  in  order  to  show  the  narrow  inspection  of 
God  into  the  affairs  of  those  who  put  their  trust  in  him. 

I  am  aware  of  the  reproach  that  will  be  cast  upon  such 
a  work,  as  also  upon  the  author;  but  this  doth  in  no  wise 
concern  me.  I  only  wish  that  I  were  as  free  from  every 
sin  as  I  am  from  the  carnal  fear  of  man ;  I  believe  I  should 
then  shortly  preach  up  sinless  perfection.  If  we  preachers 
get  proud,  worldly,  and  lifeless,  we  generally  fall  into  dis- 
esteem  with  the  most  lively  Christians  :  and,  if  the  presence 
of  God  doth  not  keep  up  our  reputation  among  these  right- 
eous ones,  we  generally  begin  to  undermine  the  reputation 
of  those  who  cleave  closer  to  God  than  ourselves ;  and  en- 
deavor to  establish  a  character  upon  the  ruins  of  other 
men's  reputation ;  and,  while  we  are  carrying  on  this  busi- 
ness, God  sets  others  to  undermine  ours.  "  As  ye  mete,  so 
shall  it  be  measured  to  you  again."  This  is  God's  balance. 
And  the  wise  man's  appeal  to  conscience  is,  "  Also  take  no 
heed  unto  all  words  that  are  spoken,  lest  thou  hear  thy  ser- 
vant curse  thee ;  for  oftentimes  also  thine  own  heart  know- 
eth  that  thou  thyself  likewise  hast  cursed  others."  Eccles. 
vii.  21. 

The  first  little  treatise  which  I  wrote  was  condemned  by 
many,  who  at  the  same  time  never  understood  it ;  but  God 


D  EDI  CATION.  IX 

blessed  it  to  several  souls,  to  their  happy  deliverance ;  and 
if  God  sets  his  seal  to  it,  we  have  no  cause  to  look  to  the  ap- 
probation of  any  other.  Wh^n  '  THE  SKELETON'  first  appear- 
ed, the  complaint  was  —  that  it  was  wrote  in  a  bad  spirit ; 
that  the  divinity  was  tolerable  but  the  spirit  was  bad.  a Sound 
divinity  and  zeal  for  God,  flowing  from  a  bad  spirit,  is  like 
the  old  contradiction  we  read  of —  "  How  can  Satan  cast 
out  Satan  ?  "  However,  although  there  were  many  who 
condemned  it  in  private,  yet  I  rejoice ;  because  several  of 
them  plundered  the  very  bowels  of  it  to  preach  in  public. 
I  should  like  to  see  a  treatise  upon  the  operations  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  written  by  some  of  those  who  are  infallible ; 
and  then  I  should  know,  according  to  their  views,  how  far 
that  blessed  Spirit  ought  to  go  in  his  operations,  and  where 
he  ought  to  stop,  according  to  their  decree.  If  Elijah  was 
on  earth,  I  believe  he  would  be  loaded  with  as  many  re- 
proaches of  uncharitableness  as  I  have  been.  But  why 
should  I  wonder  at  this,  when  Christ  himself  was  accused 
by  the  doctors  of  old  of  preaching  and  working  under  the 
influence  of  a  bad  spirit !  They  said  that  he  cast  out  devils 
by  Beelzebub  the  prince  of  devils.  I  would  caution  these 
infallible  gentlemen,  however,  not  to  be  too  hasty  in  ascrib- 
ing a  work  which  God  owns  and  blesses  to  the  dictates  of 
an  evil  spirit,  "  lest  haply  they  be  found  even  to  fight  against 
God,"  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  much  question  if  they  are  very 
well  acquainted  with  that  blessed  Spirit's  tuition;  for,  if 
they  were,  they  would  not  talk  at  that  rate.  Natural  affec- 
tions are  often  mistaken  for  the  operations  of  the  spirit  of 
God ;  but  Christ  sharply  rebuked  Peter  for  savoring  the 
things  of  men  more  than  the  things  of  God.  And  I  know 
that  all  the  affections  of  nature  are  contra-distinguished  from 
the  influences  or  fruits  of  the  spirit,  by  one  who  is  an  infal- 
lible judge.  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh ;  and 


X  DEDICATION 

that  which  is  born  of  the  spirit  is  spirit.  Marvel  not  that 
I  said  unto  thee,  Thou  must  be  born  again."  The  new 
man  must  come  forth,  and  the  old  man  must  be  crucified 
throughout. 

I  own  that  natural  affections  are  some  of  the  best  rags  of 
fallen  nature;  but,  as  they  are  natural,  they  must  not  be 
mistaken  for,  nor  coupled  with,  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  All 
mortality  shall  be  swallowed  up  of  life,"  when  he  who  only 
hath  immortality  shall  appear.  Therefore  make  not  that 
your  celestial  covering  which  is  to  be  no  more  than  your 
grave  clothes.  All  these  cloths  and  napkins  must  be  wrapt 
together  by  themselves  when  Christ  mystical  shall  awake 
and  sing ;  for  we  hope  to  be  delivered  from  the  whole  body 
of  sin  and  death ;  because  it  is  under  this  we  groan,  being 
burdened.  Some,  indeed,  have  no  brighter  views  of  heaven 
than  Mahomet  in  his  Alcoran.  "  I  speak  this  to  their 
shame ;  "  for  some  professors  are  ready  to  repeat  the  old  in- 
quiry, "  How  are  the  dead  raised  up?"  and  with  what  crop 
of  natural  affections  do  they  come  1  To  whom  I  answer  : 
The  old,  the  natural  grain,  must  entirely  die,  that  the  new 
and  spiritual  harvest  may  take  place.  "  The  seed  which 
thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but 
bare  grain." 

However,  God  hath  blessed  'The  Skeleton,'  to  many  souls, 
which  satisfies  me.  And,  whether  men  approve  or  disap- 
prove of  the  work,  it  matters  not :  for  I  find  by  history,  that 
the  book  of  the  Revelations,  written  by  John  the  divine, 
though  it  contains  a  certain  and  full  prediction  of  all  future 
events,  both  in  churches  and  states,  and  a  concise  recapitu- 
lation of  all  past  occurrences,  was  almost  universally  reject- 
ed by  infallible  prelates  in  the  primitive  church  of  Christ, 
(though  Christ  sent  his  angels  to  testify  it  to  them)  they 
being  wise  above  what  was  written,  though  perhaps  too  ig- 


DEDICATION.  XI 

norant  to  understand  the  writing ;  therefore  it  was  kept  out 
of  the  church  as  uncanonical/  St.  Jude's  Epistle  too,  ap- 
pearing such  a  foe  to  universal  charity,  as  well  as  to  spots 
in  their  feasts  of  charity,  and  other  counterfeit  errors,  and 
being  expressive  of  so  much  zeal  and  warmth  for  God's 
glory,  was  kept  out  of  the  church  for  many  years  also ;  and 
the  excuse  was  as  weighty  as  some  in  our  days  make  against 
mine  — that  it  was  written  in  a  bad  spirit,  and  that  he  had 
quoted  an  unscriptural  expression;  namely,  that  of  "  the 
devil  contending  for  the  body  of  Moses ;  "  which  in  my  opin- 
ion, seems  scriptural  enough  to  any  discerning  Christian ; 
for,  if  the  body  of  Moses  be  the  offspring  of  Hagar,  and  fig- 
uratively the  children  of  Jerusalem,  which  are  in  bondage ; 
and  Jerusalem,  the  desolate,  without  God,  and  without  an 
husband,  and  her  children  without  a  father ;  these  children 
are  bond  children  under  the  law,  and  being  under  the  law, 
are  consequently  under  the  curse.  No  wonder  then,  if  the 
officer,  the  devil,  accuseth  them  to  justice,  and  contends  for 
this  mystical  body  of  Moses,  when  Moses  himself  accuses 
them  even  before  God.  I  hope  these  divines  will  show  me 
some  lenity,  although  I  may  be  of  a  bad  spirit,  because  I 
have  not  gone  quite  so  far  in  the  trial  of  universal  charity  as 
to  execute  him.  Neither  have  I  cut  Agag  in  pieces,  nor 
slain  any  of  the  prophets  of  Baal,  as  some  have  done  at  the 
command  of  God,  and  under  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  But,  although  I  had,  it  would  have  been  no 
crime,  seeing  God  himself  is  a  swift  witness  against  sorcerers. 

My  first  pamphlet  being  condemned  as  nonsense,  and  the  || 
second  as  the  product  of  a  bad  spirit,  so  this  will  possibly  II 
be  condemned  as  savoring  too  much  of  self ;  more  especial- 11 
ly  as  I  treat  only  of  the  kind  providences  which  occurred  in  I 
the  course  of  my  own  experience.  However,  I  hope  to  rest  ' 
satisfied  till  the  great  day  arrives,  when  God  will  make  mani- 


Xll  DEDICATION. 

fest  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  and  show  whom  he  approves 
and  disapproves ;  and  then  it  will  be  seen  that  neither  uni- 
versal charity  nor  natural  affections  shall  be  found  among 
the  redeemed  of  God;  for  it  will  not  be  said  that  natural 
affections  shall  be  all,  but  that  God  shall  be  all  in  all. 

As  for  the  kind  advice  which  some  of  you  have  given  me, 
I  thank  you,  and  can  bear  with  your  weaknesses ;  knowing 
that  "  I  (once)  spake  as  a  child,  thought  as  a  child,  and  un- 
derstood^as  a  child ;  but,  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away 
childish  things."  I  have  no  notion  of  getting  a  renowned 
preacher  to  preface  any  of  my  poor  scribbling ;  it  appears, 
in  my  opinion,  too  much  like  the  Satanic  art  of  puffing  at 
an  auction.  The  fewer  human  inventions  the  better  in  di- 
vine things.  Besides,  I  believe  that  many  precious  minis- 
ters of  Jesus  have  in  their  young  days  put  prefaces  to  com- 
mentaries and  other  works  merely  to  please  a  bookseller ; 
who,  when  possessed  of  a  riper  judgment,  were  ashamed  of 
the  doctrines  which  they  had  formerly  recommended  to  oth- 
ers ;  yea,  some,  who  I  hear  have  condemned  my  book,  have 
written  prefaces  to  works  now  in  my  possession,  out  of 
which  I  defy  all  the  masters  of  arts  in  Christendom  to  distil 
one  thimbleful  of  evangelical  divinity,  exclusive  of  the  holy 
name  of  God.  Upon  this  principle  I  do  not  desire  any  good 
man  to  expose  his  judgment  to  contempt,  by  puffing  off  my 
abilities  ;  for  I  have  not  a  single  doubt  but  kind  Providence 
will  defray  my  expenses  at  the  press  as  long  as  God  intends 
that  I  should  write  any  thing  for  him ;  and,  when  this  cruse 
of  oil  fails,  you  will  hear  no  more  of  me  from  thence.  Be- 
sides, if  I  was  inclined  to  beg  or  cringe  for  a  preface,  I  have 
no  such  tip-top  ministers  to  go  to ;  for  I  find,  by  blessed 
experience,  that  I  can  creep  into  the  very  bosom  of  my  dear 
Redeemer  with  more  ease  than  I  can  touch  the  robes  of  a 
dignified  clergyman.  <.  I  have  sometimes  indeed  been  admit- 


DEDICATION.  Xlll 

ted  into  the  pulpits  of  some  of  these  great  men ;  but,  if  the 
power  of  God  has  been  present  to  heal,  and  the  people  have 
been  happy  under  me,  I  have  been  admitted  there  no  more. 

I  am  informed  that  it  is  common  among  horse-jockies  to 
cry  a  horse  down  if  his  heels  are  too  light.  This  custom 
may  well  become  the  turf,  but  it  ill  becomes  the  pulpit. 
However,  God  has  given  me  a  pulpit  of  my  own,  so  I  have 
no  cause  to  borrow ;  and  this  fulfils  an  ancient  promise, 
once  applied  to  my  soul  with  power,  even  from  God  himself 
—  "  thou  shalt  lend  to  many,  but  borrow  of  none." 

I  choose  that  my  doctrine  and  reputation  should  stand 
and  fall  together.  It  shall  never  be  the  coal-heaver  and 
company.  All  that  I  preach  or  write,  that  is  divine,  God 
himself  taught  me  ;  for  I  never  learned  it  of  man,  nor  did  I 
bring  any  of  it  into  the  world  with  me  :  therefore  it  is  not 
my  own,  except  the  errors ;  for  I  have  nothing,  nor  am 
nothing,  by  nature,  but  sin  :  of  course  I  think  it  my  duty  to 
be  faithful  in  delivering  what  I  have  received  to  the  benefit 
of  others;  and  to  be  laborious,  watchful,  and  faithful,  over 
.those  whom  God  hath  committed  to  my  care. 

I  must  beg  leave  to  lead  my  reader  a  little  farther  on,  in 
addition  to  the  dedication,  in  order  to  show  him  what  differ- 
ent receptions  the  BANK  of  FAITH  has  met  with  in  the 
world.  Indeed  I  did  not  expect  that  it  should  be  in  equal 
esteem  with  the  Bank  of  England  —  no  ;  I  know  the  greater 
part  of  the  human  race  have  their  portion  in  this  life,  whose 
purses  and  bellies  God  fills  with  his  hid  treasure.  These 
have  so  far  cast  off  God  as  to  call  their  lands  by  their  own 
names,  to  the  dishonor  of  God  who  gave  them  ;  and  leave 
their  substance  as  a  trap  to  their  posterity,  who  are  too  apt 
to  praise  their  sayings,  and  go  to  the  generation  of  their 
fathers  without  seeing  light. 

The  greatest  curse  under  heaven  is  an  impenitent  heart 


XIV  DEDICATION. 


clogged  with  the  sorrow  of  this  world — "  Give  them  sorrow 
of  heart,  thy  curse  unto  them,"  Lam.  iii.  65.  And  the  next 
curse  is  an  independent  fortune  in  the  hands  of  such  grace- 
less souls,  whose  infidelity  turns  every  providential  blessing 
into  a  curse.  "If  ye  will  not  hear,  and  if  ye  will  not  lay  it 
to  heart,  to  give  glory  unto  my  name,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  I  will  even  send  a  curse  upon  you,  and  I  will  curse 
your  blessings ;  yea,  I  have  cursed  them  already,  because 
ye  do  not  lay  it  to  heart."  Mai.  ii.  2. 

The  BANK  of  FAITH  has  dropped  into  the  hands  of  some 
of  these  gentlemen,  and  it  has  acted  the  part  of  Samson ; 
that  is,  it  has  made  sport  for  them  ;  and  no  wonder,  seeing 
they  have  attributed  the  government  of  the  world  to  blind 
fortune,  and  the  glory  that  is  due  to  God  is  ascribed  to  a 
phantom  on  a  wheel. 

But  who  would  have  thought  that  men  calling  themselves 
gospel  ministers  would  have  bought  my  book  to  ridicule  it 
and  pour  contempt  on  the  providence  of  God  1  Can  such  be 
called  ministers  of  God's  word,  who  laugh  at  the  fulfilment 
of  it  ?  —  If  they  deny  the  inspection  of  God  into  our  tem- 
poral concerns,  they  must  deny  half  the  Bible,  which  informs 
us  that  God  adorns  the  lilies,  feeds  the  ravens  when  they 
cry,  and  gives  the  lion  his  prey ;  when  he  opens  his  hand 
they  are  filled,  and  when  he  takes  away  their  breath  they 
die.  Strange  !  that  professors  of  Christ  should  rob  him  of 
his  glory,  of  which  he  is  so  tender  —  which  he  will  never 
give  to  another — and  which  is  due  to  him  from  all  the 
human  race ;  but  much  more  so  from  professors,  who  pre- 
tend to  renounce  all  confidence  in  the  flesh  in  point  of  jus- 
tification, and  all  pretensions  to  a  portion  in  this  life,  when 
compared  to  the  blessed  earnest  of  a  portion  in  the  future. 
Surely  such  must  differ  much  in  spirit  from  the  apostles, 
who  seemed  so  zealous  for  the  honor  of  Christ,  that  they 
would  let  no  miracle  of  his  slip  unnoticed,  unacknowledged, 


DEDICATION.  XT 

nor  unrecorded.  They  tell  us  of  the  five  barley  loaves,  and 
the  five  thousand  fed  — of  the  seven  barley  loaves,  and  the 
seven  thousand  fed  —  of  the  baskets  of  fragments  that 
remained  —  and  of  the  Saviour's  strict  command  that  noth- 
ing of  the  produce  of  these  miracles  should  be  lost. 

They  inform  us  of  the  Lord's  condescension  in  coming  to 
them  on  the  shore  of  the  sea  of  Tiberias,  and  of  his  baking 
bread  and  broiling  fish  upon  the  coals  to  supply  their  wants 

—  of  the  liberality  of  those  who  were  converted  by  their 
ministry  —  of  their  selling  their  inheritances  to  support  the 
gospel  and  feed  the  poor  of  Christ's  flock  —  and  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  being  struck  dead  for  mimicking  the  hospi- 
tality of  the  children  of  God. 

Israel's  forty  years'  journey  in  the  wilderness  abounds 
with  the  miraculous  providences  of  God,  and  so  does  the 
book  of  Ruth.  To  ridicule  then  the  mystery  of  Providence 
is  to  make  sport  of  one  half  of  the  Bible.  But  these  gentle- 
men have  got  a  stock  in  hand,  like  the  prodigal  at  his  first 
leaving  his  father's  house ;  therefore  they  laugh  at  those 
who  are  obliged  to  fetch  their  supplies  daily  from  the  foun- 
tain head.  But,  alas  !  an  independent  fortune  is  too  often 
like  the  manna  that  Israel  kept,  which  bred  worms  and 
stunk,  while  that  which  was  gathered  daily  was  sweet  food. 
This  Paul  applies  to  Providence  —  "  He  that  gathered  much 
had  nothing  over,  and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack." 
Let  there  be  an  equality  (says  Paul)  in  your  contributions 

—  not   one   eased,    and    another   burdened.       Some   have 
affirmed,  since  they  read  this  little  book  of  mine,  that  we 
have  no  warrant  to  pray  for  temporal  things ;  but  blessed  be 
God,  he  has  given  us  "  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  js, 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come ;  "    yea,  the  promise  of  all 
things  pertaining  to  life,  and  godliness  ;   and  whatever  God 
has  promised  we  may  warrantably  pray  for.     Those  that 


XVI  DEDICATION. 


came  to  the  Saviour  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  prayed  chiefly 
for  temporal  mercies:  the  blind  prayed  for  sight — the  le- 
pers for  a  cure  —  the  lame  for  the  use  of  their  limbs  —  and 
the  deaf  for  the  use  of  their  ears.  And  surely,  had  they 
prayed  unwarrantably,  their  prayers  would  not  have  been  so 
miraculously  answered.  Elijah  prayed  for  a  temporal  mercy 
when  he  prayed  for  rain ;  and  it  is  clear  that  God  answered 
him.  Elisha  works  a  miracle  to  produce  a  temporal  mercy 
when  he  healed  the  barren  plains  of  Jericho.  God  hath 
said  that  he  "  will  hear  the  heavens,  and  they  shall  hear  the 
earth ;  and  the  earth  shall  hear  the  corn,  and  the  wine,  and 
the  oil ;  and  they  shall  hear  Jezreel."  Hos.  ii.  21,  22.  If 
some  professors  are  favored  with  an  abundant  stock  in  hand, 
it  is  not  given  them  that  they  should  requite  the  bounties  of 
Providence  with  contempt.  If  they  have  got  houses  to  eat 
in,  they  are  not  to  shame  them  that  have  not ;  and,  if  they 
have  bottled  up  a  store  of  the  goat's  milk,  they  are. not  to 
cut  off  the  breast  from  the  poor  that  have  none.  Prov. 
xxvii.  23,  24,  27.  Is  my  reader  a  poor  Christian  ?  —  Take 
it  patiently.  God  maketh  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich. 
Envy  not  the  rich.  Riches  are  often  seen  to  be  a  canker- 
worm  at  the  root  of  a  good  man's  comfort,  a  snare  in  his 
life,  and  an  iron  pillar  at  the  back  of  his  pride.  Agur 
prayed  to  be  fed  with  food  convenient  for  him;  and  you 
may  pray  for  the  same  ;  and  what  God  gives  you  in  answer 
to  your  prayers  you  will  be  thankful  for.  That  state  is 
surely  best  which  keeps  you  dependent  on  God  and  thank- 
ful to  him ;  and  so  you  shall  find  it  in  the  end.  Go  on, 
poor  Christian,  trusting  in  the  providence  of  God.  God 
promised  a  preceding  blessing  on  the  Israelites  who  were  to 
keep  the  year  of  jubilee  ;  and,  though  they  were  neither  to 
plough,  sow,  nor  reap,  on  this  year  of  release,  yet  they  had 
the  promise  of  old  store  for  food  for  the  following  year. 


DEDICATION.  XVli 

Lev.  xxv.  20,  21.  God's  blessing  on  the  sixth  year  was  to 
produce  food  for  three  years.  And  shall  not  God  provide 
for  Israelites  indeed,  who  are  released  by  the  Gospel  trum- 
pet from  spiritual  bondage,  and  made  free  by  the  Holy 
Ghost !  Surely  such  shall  eat  of  the  old  store ;  yea,  in  a 
two-fold  sense  —  for  every  scribe  instructed  in  the  kingdom 
is  like  an  old  householder  who  bringeth  things  out  of  his 
treasures  new  and  old ;  and  all  this  to  feed  the  Israelites 
indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no  guile. 

In  Egypt  we  find  that  God's  blessing  on  the  seven  years 
of  plenty  was  sufficient  to  serve  Egypt,  and  numbers  more, 
through  the  seven  years  of  famine  which  followed.  Surely 
these  wonders  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  never  be  blotted 
out  of  the  Bible  by  a  few  independent  gentlemen,  though 
preachers;  nor  shall  Zion's  blessings  be  chased  from  tho 
poor  of  her  family  by  a  few  worldly  professors,  who  "  trust 
in  uncertain  riches,"  and  sneer  at  the  daily  provision  that 
God  makes  for  the  poor  of  his  household.  Reader,  trust 
thou  in  the  Father  of  all  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  com- 
fort, for  every  supply.  Independent  Adam,  and  the  inde- 
pendent prodigal,  came  both  to  bankruptcy  and  beggary; 
therefore  trade  thou  with  the  stock  of  God,  and  thou  shall 
never  fail. 

Use  no  unlawful  means  either  to  avoid  having,  or  the  care 
of,  a  numerous  family.  This  is  the  root  of  God-dishonor- 
ing and  damning  unbelief;  and  the  effect  is  Onanism; 
which  God  views  as  an  act  of  infidelity,  and  distrust  cast  on 
his  providence,  an  injury  done  to  a  fruitful  womb,  and  the 
sin  of  murder  committed  on  unsinning  innocence,  which  he 
hath  twice  visited  with  immediate  death  in  the  very  action. 
Gen.  xxxviii.  7 — 10. 

I  have  been  married  upwards  of  twenty  years,  have  had  I 
3 


DEDICATION. 


thirteen  children  ;  just  Jacob's  number,  thirteen  to  the  doz- 
en ;  and,  instead  of  being  a  beggar,  am  as  rich  as  ever  I 
was :  and  do  believe  that,  was  I  to  die  this  day,  if  all  mat- 
ters were  properly  settled,  I  should  be  clear  of  the  world. 
And  I  am  srure  that  faith  is  satisfied  with  an  honorable  dis- 
charge through  this  world ;  but,  if  we  aim  to  supply  the 
wants  of  infidelity,  all  the  world  is  not  sufficient  to  satisfy 
her  demands. 

I  have  been  acquainted  with  several  professors  of  consid- 
erable property ;  but,  as  God  liveth,  after  a  strict  observa- 
tion of  their  conduct,  I  never  envied  their  happiness,  nor 
wished  to  exchange  situations ;  for  I  found  some,  who  were 
warmly  attached  to  the  form  of  prayer,  and  to  the  walls  of 
the  established  church,  would  give  a  thousand  pounds  to 
support  the  forms  and  walls  of  the  Church  of  England,  be- 
fore they  would  give  five  shillings  to  support  those  who 
enforced  the  Spirit's  work  on  the  sQulft  pf  m>n  And  oth- 
ers who  were  filled  with  head  notions  from  commentators 
rather  than  the  grace  of  God  in  their  hearts,  expected  every 
preacher  that  partook  of  their  liberality  to  say  as  they  did, 
and  offer  both  conscience  and  affections  (which  are  due  to 
God  only)  to  their  purse;  which  compliance  being  denied, 
has  caused  great  offence,  and  the  honest  servants  of  Christ 
have  received  many  wounds  both  in  their  reputation  and 
labors;  which  have  made  the  cross  of  poverty  the  more 
heavy,  stirred  up  the  corruptions  of  the  honest  suffering 
saint  to  be  more  rebellious  against  God,  and  made  his  mind 
recoil  with  indignation  against  the  aspiring  rival  of  Christ. 

To  be  short,  among  all  the  rich  professors  that  I  have 
known,  upon  a  proper  reflection,  I  have  found  that  they 
expended  the  greatest  part  of  the  bounties  of  Providence  in 
support  of  their  own  humors,  their  bigotry,  their  prejudices, 


DEDICATION.  XIX 

and  their  own  personal  honor ;  being  most  liberal  where 
their  liberality  was  received  by  those  of  dignity,  and  where 
it  was  to  "appear  in  print. 

Such  as  these  have  their  reward  as  they  proceed,  but  can 
have  no  reward  of  their  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  I  be- 
lieve it  will  appear  in  the  great  day,  that  the  greatest  part 
of  the  liberality  of  rich  professors  has  been  expended  more 
in  their  own  cause  than  in  the  support  of  the  spiritual  reign 
of  the  Son  of  God.  This  has  been  made  evident  by  the 
many  apostates  who  have  been  long  held  up  by  the  spirit  of 
bigotry  and  the  purse  of  wealth;  whom,  notwithstanding, 
God  hath  cast  down,  in  defiance  of  all  their  sanction,  pat- 
ronage, and  liberality. 

I  am  much  deceived  if  the  purse  of  worldly  professors  is 
not  a  snare  in  our  days  to  many  a  servant  of  Christ.  The 
liberal  purse,  and  the  besetting  sin  of  the  'squire,  has  muz- 
zled the  mouth  of  many  a  poor  laborer  in  the  vineyard ; 
while  the  preacher  has  die<jp»in  the  ministry,  the  flock  in 
their  souls,  and  the  formidable  'squire  who  appeared  as  a 
column,  was  ripened  for  damnation,  under  a  muzzled  gos- 
pel preacher.  For  my  part  I  have  never  yet  seen  any  thing 
in  a  rich  professor  that  could  in  the  least  draw  me  to  envy 
his  happiness ;  but,  contrary  wise,  to  pity  him,  as  being  a 
trap  to  others  and  an  ensnared  person  himself.  The  com- 
mon industrious  persons  are,  in  general,  the  happy  recipi- 
ents of  grace,  and  such  are  the  chief  supporters  of  the 
gospel;  and  such  I  have  found  my  friends  rather  than  my 
traps. 

Tn^jjiis  narrative  T  shall  set  forth  all  the  circumstances  of 
's  providence,,  which  he  hath  brought  to  my  remem- 
brance. May  his  kind  providence  shine  to  his  own  honor, 
and  to  the  comfort  of  his  poor  flock,  who  are  obliged  to 


XX  DEDICATION. 

I  trust  in  him  or  starve.     O  blessed  object,  worthy  of  all 
I  trust ! 

I  doubt,  reader,  we  shall  give  a  second  offence,  for  chat- 
ting so  long  together,  by  way  of  dedication.  Cavillers  will 
be  ready  to  say  that  we  are  "  like  children  in  the  market- 
place calling  to  their  fellows;"  therefore  we  had  better  part 
than  give  any  offence  to  them. 

Good  morning  to  you,  Mr.  Parson  ;  God  bless  you. 
I  thank  thee,  Christian  ;  but  beseech  thee  not  to  put  any 
titles  or  compliments  upon  me  ;  give  them  to  those  who  can 
make   a  meal  of  them.     Coal-heaving  is  hard  work,   and 
coal-heavers  require  better  food  than  compliments. 
Reader,  fare  thee  well. 

Thine  to  serve  in  the  bowels  of  Christ, 

W.  H. 


UJTIVERSITYl. 


GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

AND 

THE  BANK  OF  FAITH. 


PART    I. 


WHEN  I  was  about  seven  years  of  age  I  heard  a  person 
say  that  God  took  notice  of  children's  sins.  The  wonder- 
ful workings  of  my  mind  upon  these  words  I  shall  not  at 
present  descant  on ;  neither  shall  I  mention  the  many  trials 
I  underwent  at  the  bar  of  my  own  conscience,  while  the 
impression  dwelt  on  my  mind.  I  also  remember  to  have 
once  heard  a  person  say  that  all  things  were  possible  with 
God ;  which  words  I  secretly  treasured  up  and  pondered  in 
my  heart ;  and  as  I  had  great  desire  at  that  time  to  live  in 
the  capacity  of  an  errand-boy  with  a  certain  gentleman  in 
the  place,  being  very  poorly  brought  up,  and  knowing  much 
the  want  of  the  common  necessaries  of  life,  it  came  into  my 
mind  that,  if  all  things  were  possible  with  God,  it  was  also 
possible  for  him  to  send  me  to  live  as  a  servant-boy  with 
'Squire  Cooke ;  though  at  the  same  time  he  had  a  boy  who 
I  believed  was  well  approved  of.  Notwithstanding  this  last 
circumstance  I  privately  asked  God  in  an  extempore  way, 
to  give  me  that  boy's  place ;  and  made  many  promises  how 
good  I  would  be  if  he  granted  me  this- request.  For  many 
days  I  privately  begged  of  God  this  favor,  which  nobody 
knew  but  God  and  myself,  till  now  I  relate  it.  I  believe  I 
went  on  in  this  way  of  praying,  sometimes  under  a  hedge, 
4 


22  GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

or  on  my  bed,  for  a  week  or  two ;  and  I  thought,  if  God 
granted  me  this  favor,  I  should  know  whether  all  things 
were  possible  with  him  or  not.  Having  prayed  for  many 
days,  and  finding  no  likelihood  of  an  answer,  I  readily  con- 
cluded that  there  was  no  God  ;  and  therefore  I  had  no  cause 
to  be  so  afraid  of  sinning,  nor  had  I  any  occasion  to  pray  to 
him  any  more.  Accordingly  I  left  off  praying  for  some 
time,  and  then  began  again,  till  at  last  I  left  off  entirely. 
Some  few  days  after  this,  there  came  a  man  to  my  father's 
house,  .and  said,  "  William,  'Squire  Cooke  wants  a  boy ; 
why  don't  you  go  after  the  .place? "  I  said,  "  John  Dungy 
lives  there."  He  answered,  "  No,  he  is  turned  away."  I 
asked  for  what.  He  replied,  "  Old  Master  Coly,  the  oyster- 
man,  went  there  a  few  days  ago,  to  carry  some  oysters  ;  and, 
while  the  old  man  was  gone  with  a  measure  of  them  into 
the  house,  the  boy  robbed  the  pads,  as  they  hung  on  the 
horse,  while  he  was  tied  at  the  gate ;  and  the  mistress,  see- 
ing him,  discharged  him  for  it." 

The  compunction  which  I  felt  —  the  thoughts  that  I  had  — 
the  various  workings  of  my  mind  —  the  promises  I  made, 
and  the  petitions  I  put  up,  as  I  went  after  the  place  —  I 
choose  to  conceal ;  for  I  think  they  would  hardly  be  credit- 
ed, considering  I  was  no  more,  at  this  time,  than  eight  years 
old.  However,  to  my  astonishment,  I  got  the  place,  and 
the  bargain  was  struck  at  twenty  shillings  per  annum.  For 
many  days  and  weeks  an  uncommon  impression  about  the 
power  of  God,  lay  fresh  on  my  mind.  But  soon  after  this, 
a  sudden  temptation  brought  me  to  believe  that  there  was 
no  God;  that,  if  there  was,  he  took  no  notice  of  such  crea- 
tures as  we  are,  or  of  any  of  our  affairs ;  and  that  it  was  by 
chance  I  got  the  place ;  wherefore  I  imagined  that  I  had  no 
occasion  to  pray,  or  to  pay  the  vows  which  I  had  made. 
This  temptation  made  a  sufficient  breach  for  me  to  creep 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  23 

out  at,  and  proved  an  awful  inlet  to  vice  and  vanity,  which 
for  some  months  I  gave  way  to.  Soon  after  this,  I  offended 
my  master,  was  discharged  from  my  servitude,  and  went 
home  as  deeply  stung  with  guilt  for  my  folly,  as  I  had  been 
before  lifted  up  at  the  sight  of  God's  mercy. 

After  this  period  I  had  sharp  work  in  my  conscience  for 
some  years,  at  certain  times,  but  was  still  pursued  with 
deistical  principles  —  that  God  took  no  notice  of  our  pro- 
ceedings;—  till  at  last  it  appeared  rather  fixed  in  my  mind, 
and  insensibility  and  stupor  naturally  followed.  Now  it 
was  that  I  got  wholly  out  of  all  fear  of  God,  or  thoughts  of 
futurity,  and  very  soon  learned  to  dance;  which  is  just  as 
serviceable  a  net  to  ruin  souls  as  devils  could  invent,  or  frail 
mortals  drop  into.  However,  God  put  a  stop  to  this, -by 
laying  a  fit  of  sickness  on  my  tabernacle,  which  I  had  never 
before  experienced.  I  labored  hard,  rather  than  submit  to 
go  to  bed ;  and  made  a  shift  to  keep  about  my  business  as 
long  as  I  was  able  to  move  a  limb ;  but  at  last  I  was  forced 
to  yield.  Then  my  conscience  began  to  do  her  office,  and 
the  wrath  of  God  to  alarm  me  ;  so  that  I  was  fully  convinced 
God  took  notice  of  my  conduct  in  this  life,  and  would  reckon 
with  me  for  it  in  the  next.  I  lay  in  this  state  of  mind  until 
I  had  an  earnest  of  damnation  in  my  heart ;  and  I  had  not 
a  single  doubt  of  my  portion  in  everlasting  burnings,  if  I 
died  in  that  state.  God  brought  me  so  nigh  the  end  of  all 
flesh,  that  the  rattles  of  death  stopped  my  breath  twice.  I 
tried  to  fly  from  death,  and  got  out  of  the  bed  to  run  away, 
but  could  not ;  for  I  fell  on  the  floor,  and  there  lay  till  my 
fellow-servants  found  me,  and  put  me  into  bed  again  by 
force.  Soon  after  I  heard  one  of  the  maids  say,  "  Poor 
William  will  die."  "Yea,"  said  the% other,  "-Doctor  Wil- 
son has  given  him  over."  They  knew  not  that  I  heard 
them.  I  tried  again  to  fly  from  death,  but  found  I  could 


24     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

not.  So  I  began  to  whisper  a  prayer  to  God,  which  con- 
science would  not  allow  me  to  do  before.  As  I  began  to  pray, 
I  gathered  strength,  and  in  less  than  a  month  was  out  of 
doors.  I  quitted  my  servitude,  went  home  to  my  parents 
till  my  recovery,  and  never  danced  any  more  from  that  hour 
to  this.  Soon  after  I  got  well  I  was  informed  that  one 
'Squire  Pool,  of  Charren  in  Kent,  wanted  a  servant.  I  went 
after  the  place,  and  took  courage  to  ask  of  God  the  favor  of 
success,  as  he  had  been  pleased  to  punish  me  for  my  past 
folly,  and  had  brought  me  to  believe  that  I  had  highly  of- 
fended him.  I  went  under  a  hedge,  and  put  up  a  solemn 
prayer  to  him,  to  give  me  success  in  my  journey,  and  make 
me  an  object  of  his  care  for  the  future :  and  I  cut  a  stick 
half  through,  and  bent  it  down  in  the  hedge,  which  I  promised 
to  look  at,  on  my  return,  and  render  praise  to  God,  if  he 
granted  me  this  favor.  Somewhat  like  poor  Jacob,  in  his 
trouble,  when  he  anointed  the  pillar,  by  pouring  a  little  oil 
upon  the  top  of  it ;  and  promising,  if  God  would  keep  him, 
then  he  should  be  his  God ;  and,  of  all  that  God  should  give 
him,  he  would  give  God  the  tenth  part.  God  heard  my 
prayer,  and  I  got  the  place.  Though  there  was  a  servant 
in  the  parlor  with  the  gentleman,  and  though  they  had  part- 
ly agreed  when  I  came  in  ;  yet  he  broke  off  the  bargain  with 
him  to  my  astonishment.  The  reason  why  he  chose  me  in 
preference  to  the  other  was,  because  he  was  a  married  man 
and  I  was  not.  This  was  the  secondary  cause ;  but  I  re- 
solve it  by  the  primary  one.  At  my  return,  I  looked  with 
many  tears,  at  the  stick  which  I  had  marked,  and  offered 
up  an  imperfect  tribute  of  praise  to  the  God  of  my  daily 
mercies,  whom  I  had  neglected  and  much  offended. 

*  O 

For  some  time  I  endeavored,  while  in  place,  to  walk  so 
as  to  please  God,  as  I  imagined;  but  alas!  the  vanities  of 
this  world  are  too  strong  for  any  but  those  "  who  are  kept, 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  25 

by  the  mighty  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation ; " 
which  power  I  knew  nothing  of,  therefore  my  resolutions 
were  soon  broken,  and  I  forgot  my  God.  But  soon  after 
this  he  again  put  his  afilicting  hand  on  me,  and  laid  me  on 
a  sick  bed  for  many  months ;  nor  did  I  recover  effectually 
for  three  years  after.  But  still  distress  of  mind,  at  times, 
followed  me;  and,  blessed  be  God,  he  did  not  wholly  leave 
me  without  some  convictions,  till  he  brought  me  to  know 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  One  particular  instance  of 
Providence  I  here  recollect  also ;  which  was,  I  had  ordered 
my  box  of  clothes  to  be  left  at  the  Star  Inn  at  Maid-Stone 
in  Kent,  for  the  Cranbrook  carrier  to  bring  to  me ;  but  he 
said  it  was  not  there.  So  I  went  to  search  after  it,  fearing 
it  was  lost.  At  this  time  I  was  so  poor  in  pocket,  that  I 
had  but  one  shilling  left  in  all  the  world.  However,  I 
thought  I  should  be  able  to  go  out  arid  return  again  in  one 
day,  therefore  that  shilling  would  bear  my  charges;  but, 
when  I  came  to  Maid-Stone,  the  box  was  not  there;  I  was 
obliged  to  go  farther ;  and  in  my  return,  I  found  myself  so 
very  weak  and  low  that  I  could  not  get  back  that  day. 
The  shilling  was  gone,  my  strength  was  gone,  and  the 
weather  was  very  wet  and  cold ;  night,  too,  began  to  draw 
on  apace,  and  at  this  time  I  was  two  miles  from  Maid-Stone, 
which  was  fourteen  from  Cranbrook.  While  I  was  think- 
ing of,  and  mourning  over,  my  miserable  situation,!  thought 
if  I  were  one  that  feared  and  loved  God,  as  others  in  old 
time  had  done,  I  might  have  any  thing  at  his  hands;  but  as 
for  me,  I  had  made  him  my  enemy  by  sin,  and  therefore  he 
would  take  no  notice  of  me,  nor  of  any  body  else,  in  our 
days,  for  parsons  and  people  were  all  wicked  alike.  Pres- 
ently after  this  it  came  suddenly  on  my  mind  to  go  out  of 
the  foot-path,  which  led  through  the  fields,  to  go  into  the 
horse-road,  though  at  the  same  time  the  foot-path  was  by  far 


26     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

the  best.  I  had  been  in  the  road  scarcely  a  minute  before 
I  cast  my  eye  on  the  ground,  and  there  lay  a  sixpence.  I 
took  it  up ;  and  before  I  had  walked  many  steps  farther, 
there  lay  a  shilling  also.  I  took  that  up,  and  it  supplied  my 
necessities  at  that  time  very  well.  These  manifold  provi- 
dences and  answers  to  prayer,  did,  at  times,  deeply  impress 
my  mind  that  God  had  some  regard  for  me ;  but  when  sin 
was  committed  all  these  thoughts  were  blasted. 

However,  I  never  could  entirely,  after  this  time,  get  rid 
of  all  my  thoughts  about  the  awful  day  of  judgment — the 
dreadful  consideration  of  an  endless  eternity  —  the  tremen- 
dous tribunal  of  God  —  the  woful  state  of  a  guilty  sinner 
before  him  —  the  certain  conquest  of  triumphant  death  and 
certain  approach  to  God's  bar  —  the  wretched  figure  that  a 
guilty  soul  would  make  when  all  his  secret  and  open  sins 
were  exposed  to  God,  angels,  and  men  —  and  the  miserable 
punishment  which  souls  must  feel  who  have  their  doom  fixed 
in  the  gloomy  receptacle  of  the  damned  :  these  things  were, 
at  times,  uppermost  in  my  thoughts ;  and  though  I  pursued 
many  pleasures,  in  order  to  stifle  them,  yet  I  had  felt 
enough  to  fix  a  lasting  conviction  of  the  truth  of  them  upon 
my  soul. 

Having  wandered  about  for  some  years  in  this  solitary 
way,  "  seeking  rest  and  finding  none,"  it  happened  that  I 
once  went  to  work  at  Darnbury  Park,  in  Essex,  for  one 
'Squire  Fitch.  I  had  been  there  but  a  few  days  before  I 
fell  sick,  and  was  carried  to  the  sign  of  the  Bell,  where  no- 
body knew  me,  and  with  only  two  shillings  in  my  pocket ; 
but  Providence  sent  an  old  widow,  whose  name  was  Shep- 
herd, and  whose  deceased  husband  had  been  a  butcher. 
This  woman,  being  much  of  a  doctress,  doctored  me,  nurs- 
ed me,  watched  with  m£,  and  fed  me,  though  she  never  saw 
me  before  or  since,  nor  had  she  any  thing  for  her  trouble, 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  27 

and  yet  took  as  much  care  of  me  as  if  I  had  been  her  own 
child.  A  few  years  ago  I  was  determined  to  go  down  and 
see  her,  and  restore  her  fourfold  for  her  labor,  and  tell  her 
what  God  had  done  for  me  ;  but,  upon  inquiry,  I  found  that 
she  had  been  dead  about  three  months  before  my  arrival, 
which  I  was  very  sorry  for. 

I  do  not  remember  any  other  particular  providence  until 
I  was  married,  when  my  wife  arid  I  took  ready-furnished 
lodgings  at  Mortlake,  in  Surrey,  where  God  smote  my 
conscience  effectually.  It  so  happened  that  I  fell  lame, 
having  received  a  wrench  in  my  loins,  which  rendered  me 
incapable  of  labor  for  many  days.  During  this  time  our 
money  was  all  gone,  and  we  were  but  strangers  in  the  place, 
having  been  in  it  but  about  half  a  year.  After  I  began  to 
recover  a  little,  there  fell  a  deep  snow  on  the  ground,  which 
prevented  my  working  for  many  days.  Here  Providence 
suffered  us  to  know  what  it  was  to  want.  We  had  one 
child,  about  five  or  six  months  old,  which  was  our  first-born. 
It  happened  one  morning  early  that  my  wife  asked  me  for 
the  tirider-box,  seemingly  in  a  great  fright,  crying  out,  "  I 
wonder  the  poor  child  has  not  waked  all  night."  She  light- 
ed the  candle  and  took  up  the  child ;  and  behold  it  was 
dead,  and  as  black  as  a  coal!  —  It  went  off  in  a  convulsive 
fit,  as  five  more  have  done  since,  all  of  whom  turned  black 
also.  Here  Providence  appeared  again  ;  for,  about  three  or 
four  months  before  this  death  happened,  a  gentleman,  in 
whose  garden  I  at  times  had  wrought,  desired  me  to  look 
after  his  horse  in  the  country  while  he  was  in  town,  for 
which  I  was  to  have  one  shilling  per  week.  The  very  day 
on  which  the  child  died  the  gentleman  came  down  from 
London,  and  I  got  my  money  of  him  for  looking  after  the 
horse,  which  just  served  to  bury  the  poor  infant.  My 
lameness,  poverty,  distress  of  mind,  the  sufferings  of  my 


28     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

wife,  loss  of  my  child,  and  the  sense  of  God's  wrath,  were 
the  most  complicated  distresses  I  had  ever  felt.  From  this 
time  spiritual  convictions  began  to  plough  so  deep  in  my 
heart  as  to  make  way  for  the  word  of  eternal  life ;  which 
brought  me  experimentally  to  know  "the  only  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent."  And  if  God  should 
spare  my  life,  and  give  me  time,  I  may  acquaint  the  world 
of  the  whole  dealings  of  God  with  my  soul  in  a  treatise  by 
itself;  but  in  this  I  intend  treating  chiefly  of  the  providen- 
ces of  God,  lest  the  book  swell  too  big  for  the  poor  to  pur- 
chase. 

I  do  not  remember  any  particular  providence  attending 
me  till  about  three  or  four  years  after,  when  I  was  brought 
savingly  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  for  life  and  salvation. 
At  this  time  I  dwelt  in  a  ready-furnished  lodging  at  Sun- 
bury  in  Middlesex;  where  my  eldest  daughter,  now  living, 
fell  sick,  at  about  five  or  six  months  old,  and  was  wasted  to 
a  skeleton.  We  had  a  doctor  to  attend  her,  but  she  got 
worse  and  worse.  Having  lost  our  first  child,  this  was  a 
dear  idol  to  us ;  and  I  suppose  it  lay  as  near  my  heart  as 
poor  Isaac  did  to  the  heart  of  Abraham.  However,  it  ap- 
peared as  if  God  was  determined  to  bereave  us  of  her,  for 
he  brought  her  even  to  death's  door.  My  wife  and  I  have 
sat  up  with  her  night  after  night,  watching  the  cradle,  ex- 
pecting every  breath  to  be  her  last,  for  two  or  three  weeks 
together.  At  last  I  asked  the  doctor  if  he  thought  there 
was  any  hope  of  her  life.  He  answered,  No ;  he  would  not 
natter  me ;  she  would  surely  die.  This  distressed  me  be- 
yond measure;* and,  as  he  told  me  he  could  do  no  more  for 
her,  I  left  my  lodging-room,  went  to  my  garden  in  the  eve- 
ning, and  in  my  little  tool-house  wrestled  hard  with  God  in 
prayer  for  the  life  of  the  child ;  but  upon  these  conditions 
—  that  if  my  request  was  granted,  and  she  should  live  to 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  29 

arrive  at  the  full  stature  in  life,  and  in  future  times  turn 
wicked,  and  be  damned  for  sin,  and  that  my  earnest  prayer 
should  be  the  cause  of  it,  I  beseeched  God  not  to  regard 
my  petition  for  the  child,  though  she  was  as  dear  to  me  as 
my  own  life.  I  went  home  satisfied  that  God  had  heard 
me,  and  in  three  days  the  child  was  as  well  as  she  is  now, 
and  ate  as  heartily,  only  her  flesh  was  not  perfectly  restor- 
ed. This  effectually  convinced  me  that  all  things  were 
possible  with  God. 

I  had  now  dwelt  about  fourteen  months  at  Sunbury,  and 
had  served  a  gentleman  in  the  capacity  of  a  gardener  at 
twelve  shillings  per  week.  The  gentleman  informed  me  he 
purposed  to  keep  his  carriage,  and  intended  that  his  driver 
should  work  in  the  garden;  therefore  he  should  only  hire  a 
man  now  and  then  a  day,  but  should  not  keep  a  gardener 
constantly.  I  was,  in  consequence,  discharged  from  my 
work;  but  had  the  liberty  offered  me  of  staying  till  I  could 
get  employment  elsewhere.  I  believe  my  master  often  saw 
the  felicity  of  my  mind,  and  the  wisdom  that  God  had  given 
me,  by  the  answers  I  was  enabled  to  give  to  his  various 
questions.  Grace  carries  many  rays  of  majesty  with  it, 
though  it  take  up  its  abode  in  a  beggar.  However,  I 
thought  this  world  was  his  God,  therefore  I  refused  his  offer, 
as  Abraham  did  the  present  that  was  offered  him  by  the 
king  of  Sodom  ;  that  is,  I  would  take  nothing  that  was  his, 
"  from  a  thread  even  to  a  shoe  latchet." 

After  I  had  been  three  weeks  out  of  employment  I  heard 
of  a  place  at  Ewell,  in  Surrey :  which  I  went  after,  and 
engaged  in.  It  was  with  a  gentleman  that  manufactured 
gunpowder  ;  I  agreed  for  eleven  shillings  per  week  in  the 
summer,  and  ten  shillings  in  the  winter ;  and  procured  a 
ready-furnished  room  in  an  old  thatched  house  on  Ewell- 
Marsh  (if  with  propriety  it  might  be  called  a  furnished 


30     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

room)  at  two  shillings  per  week.  I  was  obliged  to  pawn  all 
my  best  clothes,  in  order  to  defray  the  remaining  expenses 
which  attended  my  wife's  lying-in,  owing  to  my  being  out 
of  employment ;  and  to  hire  a  cart  to  carry  my  personal 
effects  (which  were  but  few)  to  Ewell.  When  the  cart  set 
us  down  on  Ewell-Marsh,  on  the  Monday  morning,  and  I 
had  paid  the  hire  of  it,  I  had  the  total  sum  of  tenpence 
halfpenny  left,  to  provide  for  myself,  my  wife,  and  child,  till 
the  ensuing  Saturday  night!  But  though  I  were  thus  poor, 
yet  I  knew  God  had  made  me  rich  in  faith ;  and  these 
words  came  on  my  mind  with  power  —  "  He  multiplied  the 
loaves  and  fishes  to  feed  five  thousand  men,  besides  women 
and  children."  We  went  on  our  knees,  and  turned  the 
account  of  that  miracle  into  a  prayer,  beseeching  the 
Almighty  to  multiply  what  we  had,  or  to  send  relief  another 
way,  as  his  infinite  wisdom  thought  most  proper.  The  next 
evening  my  landlord's  daughter  and  son-in-law  came  up  to 
see  their  mother,  with  whom  I  lodged,  and  brought  some 
baked  meat,  which  they  had  just  taken  out  of  their  oven, 
and  brought  for  me  and  my  wife  to  sup  along  with  them. 
These  poor  people  knew  nothing  of  us,,  nor  of  our  God. 
The  next  day  in  the  evening  they  did  the  same  ;  and  kept 
sending  victuals  or  garden  stuff  to  us  all  the  week  long. 
We  had  not  made  our  case  known  to  any  but  God;  nor  did 
we  appear  ragged,  or  like  people  in  want ;  no,  we  appeared 
better  in  dress  than  even  those  who  relieved  us :  but  God 
sent  an  answer  to  our  prayer  by  them,  who  knew  not  at  the 
same  time  what  they  were  about,  nor  did  I  tell  them  till 
some  months  after.  While  we  were  at  supper,  I  entertained 
them  with  spiritual  conversation.  After  supper  I  went  to 
prayer  with  them,  and  prayed  most  earnestly  for  them. 
And  God  answered  it ;  for  he  sent  the  woman  home  deeply 
convicted  that  night :  nor  did  her  convictions  abate  till  she 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  31 

was  brought  to  see  Christ  crucified  in  the  open  vision  of 
gospel  faith,  and  to  receive  peace  and  pardon  from  Christ 
for  herself.  Some  time  after  this  God  began  to  work  upon 
the  husband  also ;  and  then  I  related  the  fore-cited  circum. 
stance  ;  at  the  hearing  of  which  he  told  how  it  was  impres- 
sed on  his  mind  that  I  was  in  want  of  victuals ;  and  his 
wife  found  fault  with  him  for  thinking  so,  and  bringing  it 
to  me,  saying,  "  The  people  are  better  to  pass  than  we  are." 
But  he  contradicted  her,  and  insisted  on  her  doing  as  he 
desired. 

It  pleased  God  sorely  to  afflict  this  poor  man  some  few 
years  after,  during  which  time  I  was  enabled  to  restore  him 
four-fold.  He  left  a  testimony  for  God  with  his  dying 
breath,  and  I  believe  he  is  in  eternal  glory.  His  widow  is 
this  day  a  servant  to  Mr.  Linsey,  a  tallow-chandler  in  Lam- 
beth-Marsh, on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  road  which  leads 
from  Westminster  bridge  to  Clapham.  Her  name  is  Ann 
Webb. 

I  found  that  the  small  pittance  of  eleven  shillings  per 
week  (as  I  paid  two  shillings  for  a  ready-furnished  lodging) 
would  amount  very  slowly  towards  the  getting  my  clothes 
out  .of  pawn,  which,  with  the  interest,  amounted  to  near 
forty  shillings,  and  which  I  was  loath  to  lose.  It  came  into 
my  mind  to  search  my  Bible,  to  see  if  any  instruction  for 
faith  could  be  got  about  this  matter.  I  turned  promis- 
cuously to  these  words,  "  There  is  a  lad  here  which  hath 
five  barley  loaves  and  two  fishes ;  but  what  are  they  among 
so  many  ?  "  I  asked  my  wife  if  she  had  ever  ate  barley 
bread.  She  said,  "  Yes,  in  Dorsetshire."  I  told  her  I 
never  had  eaten  it,  but  the  poor  Saviour  and  his  apostles 
had ;  and  I  supposed  it  was  because  (speaking  after  the 
manner  of  men)  they  could  get  no  better  food.  And,  as 
God  saw  it  necessary  to  keep  us  in  a  state  of  deep  poverty, 


32     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

it  ill  became  us  to  complain,  or  to  refuse  the  meanest  diet, 
seeing  he  had  blessed  us  wjfh  an  assured  hope  of  heaven 
hereafter.  She  said  she  was  willing  if  I  was.  So  she  went 
to  a  farmer  to  ask  him  to  sell  her  a  bushel  of  barley.  His 
reply  was,  that  he  sold  his  barley  by  the  quarter,  or  load,  to 
malsters,  for  making  malt ;  and  should  not  trouble  himself 
with  measuring  such  a  small  quantity.  So  she  went  to  a 
corn-chandler  in  Ewell,  and  asked  for  the  same  article ; 
whose  answer  was,  "  I  have  only  the  refuse  of  the  barley, 
or  tail  corn,  which  I  sell  for  swine  and  fowls."  My  wife 
told  him  that  would  da ;  but  did  not  inform  him  for  what 
use  it  was  intended.  This  was  ground  at  the  mill,  and  was 
very  cordially  received  by  us  ;  as  the  love  of  God,  which  we 
enjoyed  in  our  hearts,  more  than  counterbalanced  all  the 
poverty  we  labored  under ;  for  I  well  knew  it  was  decreed 
by  God  himself  that  his  people  should  have  tribulation  in 
this  world,  but  in  Christ  Jesus  they  should  have  peace. 
And  love  made  the  yoke  easy,  and  the  burden  light ;  for,  if 
at  any  time  a  murmuring  thought  entered  my  mind,  it  was 
soon  quelled  by  considering  that  Christ  lived  on  the  alms  of 
his  poor  followers,  and  that  he  was  worse  off  than  either  the 
foxes  or  the  birds ;  as  it  is  written,  "  The  foxes  have  holes, 
and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath 
not  where  to  lay  his  head."  This  has  often  made  my  bow- 
els yearn  within  me,  silence  all  my  murmurings,  and  dis- 
solved my  heart  in  gospel  gratitude. 

My  dame  and  I  now  kept  house  at  a  very  cheap  rate  — 
two  shillings  and  sixpence  per  week  carried  us  through  tol- 
erably well.  As  for  the  world's  dainties,  we  were  satisfied 
without  them  ;  for  we  knew  that  the  grace  of  God  had  ena- 
bled us  to  choose  that  good  part  which  shall  never  be  taken 
from  us,  therefore  patience  had,  in  a  manner,  her  penect 
work.  We  soon  saved  upwards  of  twenty  shillings  ;  with 


AND     THE      BANK     OF     FAITH.  33 

which,  on  the  Saturday  night,  I  set  off  to  Kingston  to  get 
some  of  my  clothes  out  of  pawn,  leaving  money  in  the  hands 
of  my  dame  to  get  half  a  bushel  of  barley.  It  so  happened 
that  the  apparel  which  I  went  to  redeem  came  to  so  much, 
with  the  interest,  that  I  had  not  any  money  left  to  bring 
home.  This  was  a  great  trial  to  us  ;  because  our  poor  little 
girl,  who  had  been  but  lately  weaned,  had  nothing  to  carry 
her  through  the  week  but  bare  barley  cakes;  and,  though 
she  would  eat  barley,  yet  I  could  not  er\dure  to  see  her  live 
on  that  only.  On  the  Monday  following  I  went  heavily  to 
work,  and  very  much  distressed  to  know  how  my  poor  little 
one  was  to  live.  I  reflected  with  indignation  on  myself  for 
parting  with  my  money ;  thinking  I  had  better  riave  gone 
without  my  clothes,  than  have  exposed  my  poor  little  one  to 
want  the  necessaries  of  life.  But,  as  I  went  over  a  bridge 
that  led  to  my  work,  I  cast  my  eye  on  the  right  hand  side, 
and  there  lay  a  very  large  eel  on  the  mud  by  the  river  side, 
apparently  dead.  I  caught  hold  of  it,  and  soon  found  it 
was  only  asleep.  With  difficulty  I  got  it  safe  out  of  the 
mud  upon  the  grass,  and  then  carried  it  home.  My  little 
one  was  very  fond  of  it,  and  it  richly  supplied  all  her  wants 
that  day.  But  at  night  I  was  informed  that  the  eel  was  all 
gone,  so  the  next  day  afforded  me  the  same  distress  and 
trouble  as  the  preceding  day  had  done.  When  going  to  my 
work,  cruelly  reflecting  on  myself  for  parting  with  all  my 
money,  just  as  I  entered  the  garden  gates  I  saw  a  partridge 
lie  dead  on  the  walk.  I  took  it  up,  and  found  it  warm ;  I 
carried  it  home,  and  it  richly  supplied  the  table  of  our  little 
one  that  day.  A  few  days  after  this  my  master  told  me  he 
had  found  a  partridge  on  the  garden  walk  also,  but  that  it 
stunk.  I  told  him  I  had  found  one  a  little  before  that  time. 
He  said  that  two  males  had  been  fighting,  and  had  killed 
each  other,  which  was  very  common.  But  I  was  enabled 
to  look  higher. 

5 


34     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

Carnal  reason  always  traces  every  thing  from  God  to 
second  causes,  and  there  leaves  them  floating  upon  uncer- 
tainties ;  but  faith  traces  them  up  to  their  first  cause,  and 
fixes  them  there ;  by  which  means  God's  hand  is  known, 
and  himself  glorified.  I  believe  this  battle  between  the 
plumed  warriors  was  proclaimed  by  the  Lord ;  for,  if  a  spar- 
row falls  not  to  the  ground  without  God's  leave,  (as  the 
scriptures  declare,)  I  can  hardly  think  a  partridge  does. 

The  third  day  arrived,  and  I  was  still  in  the  same  case  as 
before.  As  I  went  to  my  work  I  saw  a  bird's  nest  in  one 
of  the  shrubs ;  which,  upon  examination,  I  found  to  be 
the  nest  of  a  large  bird,  with  four  young  ones  in  it,  just 
ready  to  fly.  It  was  with  much  reluctance  I  stormed  and 
plundered  the  little  simple  citadel  —  but  necessity  hath  no 
law;  therefore  I  was  forced  to  rob  the  poor  dam  of  her 
young,  and  leave  her  mourning  and  lamenting,  while  my 
young  one  lived  upon  her's.  However,  I  found  it  was  no 
sin  in  God's  sight.  "  If  a  bird's  nest  chance  to  be  before 
thee  in  the  way  in  any  tree,  or  on  the  ground,  whether  they 
be  young  ones  or  eggs,  and  the  dam  sitting  upon  the  young 
ones  or  upon  the  eggs,  thou  shalt  not  take  the  dam  with  the 
young  ;  but  thou  shalt  in  any  wise  let  the  dam  go,  and  take 
the  young  to  thee,  that  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  that 
thou  mayest  prolong  thy  days."  Deut.  xxii.  6,  7. 

These  birds  served  for  that  day  very  well ;  but  the  next  day 
found  me  still  unprovided  as  before,  and  brought  forth  fresh 
work  for  faith  and  prayer.  However,  the  morrow  still  took 
thought  for  the  things  of  itself;  for,  when  I  came  to  take 
the  sythe  in  my  hand  to  mow  the  short  grass,  I  looked  into 
the  pond,  and  there  I  saw  three  very  large  carp  lying  on  the 
water,  apparently  sick  When  my  master  came  to  me  I 
told  him  of  it.  He  went  and  looked,  and  said  they  were 
dead ;  and  told  me  I  might  have  them,  if  I  would,  for  they 


AND     THE    BANK     OF     FAITH.  35 

were  not  in  season.  However,  they  came  in  due  season  to 
me.  And  I  found,  morning  after  morning,  there  lay  two 
or  three  of  these  fish  at  a  time,  dead,  just  as  I  wanted  them; 
till  I  believe  there  was  not  one  live  fish  remaining,  six  inches 
long,  in  that  pond,  which  was  near  three  hundred  feet  in 
length. 

While  musing  on,  and  admiring  the  tender  care  of  my 
God  in  his  providence,  and  wondering  what  could  move 
him  thus  to  pity  such  a  sinner  ;  who  was  so  unworthy  of  his 
grace,  mercy  and  truth,  as  well  as  of  his  providential  re- 
gard ;  these  words  came  to  my  mind :  "  He  turned  their 
waters  into  blood,  and  slew  their  fish."  Ps.  cv.  39.  Mrs. 
Webb,  the  woman  before  mentioned,  has  often  partaken  of 
these  spoils;  and  the  incredulous  are  very  welcome  to  make 
inquiry  into  the  matter,  for  which  purpose  I  have  informed 
them  where  she  lives.  My  master  told  me  he  thought  it 
was  the  heat  of  the  sun  that  killed  them ;  and  I  believe  it 
was :  but  I  knew  that  the  sun  and  his  heat  were  both  from 
God  ;  and  that  the  sun  shined  in  due  season  for  me.  And 
it  much  amazed  me  to  see  God  so  kind,  even  in  temporal 
matters.  It  led  me  to  search  his  blessed  word  for  similar 
circumstances.  And,  when  I  read  of  the  distress  and  sim- 
ple covenant  of  Jacob  —  of  God's  changing  the  color  of 
Laban's  cattle,  that  they  might  change  their  master  —  and 
of  God's  blessing  his  simple  means  of  peeling  the  rods, 
that  the  pregnant  dams  might  look  at  them,  and  bring  forth 
accordingly,  and  so  setting  the  dams  a  longing  to  bring  forth 
a  motley  progeny  like  the  rods,  which  he  set  in  the  troughs, 
and  the  dream  of  the  speckled  ram  begetting  the  spotted 
inheritance  of  faith — I  could  not  help  weeping  and  admir- 
ing the  unmerited  goodness  of  my  God  in  setting  the  birds 
of  the  air  to  war  —  sending  the  sunbeams  with  such  a  hos- 
tile force  as  to  slay  the  inhabitants  of  the  floods —  suffering 


36 


GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE 


the  eel  to  sleep  till  the  hand  of  the  necessitous  had  entan- 
gled him  —  and  directing  my  eyes  to  the  little  lodgment  of 
birds,  when  all  other  supplies  seemed  to  be  cut  off.  It  so 
operated  on  my  mind,  that  I  cannot  describe  the  humility, 
compunction,  love,  joy,  and  peace,  which  I  felt.  O,  the 
goodness  of  God  to  the  children  of  men  !  I  evidently  saw 
that,  both  in  providence  and  grace,  God  is  the  same  to  us  as 
he  was  to  the  saints  in  days  of  old,  and  that  they  had  no 
preeminence  over  us  in  the  covenant  of  grace  at  all ;  but 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  same  yesterday  that  he  is  to-day, 
and  will  be  the  same  for  ever.  Let  not  these  providences 
beget  a  notion  in  the  weak  of  the  flock  of  any  partiality  in 
God  to  me  in  particular  ;  knowing  that  "  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons ;  but  in  every  nation  those  that  fear  him 
and  work  righteousness  are  accepted  of  him." 

I  found  that  my  pay  would  hardly  support  my  family  with 
comfort ;  and  it  came  into  my  mind  that  I  could  mend  shoes, 
if  I  tried.  I  accordingly  sent  my  dame  to  Kingston  to  ouy 
me  some  materials  for  this  business ;  upon  which  I  began, 
and  became  a  decent  proficient  in  a  very  little  time.  This 
helped  me  so  much,  that  I  got  all  my  things  out  of  pawn, 
and  kept  myself  entirely  out  of  debt.  But  it  happened  one 
night  that  my  dame  complained  to  me  that  she  had  nothing 
for  the  child  but  barley  cake.  I  told  her  I  had  a  job  of  cob- 
bling to  do,  and  would  sit  up  that  night  to  finish  it,  that  in 
the  morning  the  work  might  be  carried  home,  when  perad- 
venture  she  might  get  the  money.  So  we  sat  up  and  worked 
together  till  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock  ;  when  I 
heard  a  person  call  at  my  window.  I  went  down,  and  found 
several  men  on  horseback,  (to  appearance  they  were  smug- 
glers,) who  inquired  their  way  to  Maiden  Mills.  I  went  a 
little  way  to  show  them,  for  which  one  of  them  gave  me  a 
shilling.  On  receiving  it  my  very  hair  moved  upon  my 
head,  at  the  reflection  of  the  daily  providences  of  God.  I 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAI 


3 


mention  this,  because  God  says  that  the  gold  and  the  silver 
are  his;  that  it  is  he  only  who  maketh  poor  and  maketh 
rich ;  and  that  it  is  he  who  bringeth  low  and  lifteth  up. 
These  things  so  endeared  God  to  me,  that  I  often  called  him 
my  bank,  my  banker,  and  my  blessed  overseer ;  and  ear- 
nestly begged  that  he  would  condescend  to  be  my  tutor,  my 
master,  and  my  provider,  and  never  leave  me  in  the  hands 
of  mortals,  either  for  tuition,  protection,  or  for  temporal 
supplies.  I  no  longer  envied  the  rich  in  this  world  ;  for,  if 
they  are  .gracious,  they  only  see  one  side  of  God's  face, 
having  an  independent  stock  in  hand ;  and,  if  graceless, 
they  are  of  all  flesh  the  most  miserable.  I  clearly  perceived 
that  the  most  eminent  sauits  in  the  Bible  were  brought  into 
low  circumstances ;  as  Jacob,  David,  Moses,  Joseph,  Job, 
and  Jeremiah,  and  all  the  apostles ;  in  order  that  the  hand 
of  Providence  might  be  watched. 

When  harvest  came  on,  my  dame  informed  me  that  she 
should  go  to  gleaning,  in  order  to  pick  up  some  wheat  to 
make  bread  with.  So  we  generally  arose  about  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning ;  and  I  gleaned  with  her  till  six,  and  then 
went  to  my  work;  but  she  continued  till  eight  o'clock  ;  then 
went  home  with  her  corn,  ate  her  breakfast,  got  the  child  up 
from  bed,  (which  all  this  time  had  been  left  alone,)  and  then 
she  went  off  for  the  day.  At  this  time  I  had  begun  to  preach 
at  Ewell  Marsh,  which  made  no  small  stir  that  way  :  there- 
fore the  farmers  drove  my  dame  out  of  the  fields,  and  the 
gleaners  came  about  her  like  a  shoal  of  small  birds  attend- 
ing- the  funeral  of  a  dead  hawk,  swearing  that  parsons'  wives 
should  not  glean  there.  "  What,"  said  they,  "  wives  of  the 
clergy  go  a  gleaning  !  "  I  own  it  is  not  a  good  sign,  nor  a 
good  sight,  to  see  Levites  gleaning;  but,  if  the  blind  guides 
steal  the  offerings  of  God,  which  should  feed  the  Levites, 
the  Levites  then  must  work  or  starve. 
6 


38     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

In  scripture  a  gospel  minister  is  compared  to  an  ox ;  so 
that  he  must  take  Christ's  yoke,  and  learn  to  draw ;  and, 
when  his  day's  work  is  ended,  he  must  tread  out  the  corn, 
if  required ;  and,  if  God  uses  him  to  plough  up  the  fallow 
ground  of  the  heart,  he  must  expect  to  work  hard  and  fare 
hard.  To  be  a  gospel  laborer  is  a  rare  thing ;  but  to  be  a 
dumb  dog,  to  lie  at  the  bone  and  forget  to  bark,  is  very 
common.  We  read  in  scripture  of  the  oxen  ploughing 
while  the  asses  were  feeding  beside  them;  Job  i.  14.  But 
still  God's  hand  was  seen;  for,  if  they  drove  her  out  of  one 
field,  she  was  surely  directed  into  another,  where  she  often 
found  them  carrying  the  corn  ;  and  then  she  got  the  first 
and  prime  gleanings  of  the  whole  field.  At  six  o'clock  I 
went  in  search  after  her,  and  gleaned  with  her  till  nine,  or 
as  long  as  we  could  see  an  ear  of  corn.  When  I  went  after 
her  I  knew  not  where  she  was,  nor  how  far  she  had  been 
chased  that  day  ;  but,  whether  she  was  one  or  two  miles 
distant,  I  always  went  that  road  where  my  mind  led  me,  and 
constantly  went  as  straight  to  her  as  if  I  had  actually  known 
where  she  was,  and  never  missed  her  track ;  but  found  her 
every  night,  the  whole  five  weeks,  whether  she  was  east, 
west,  north  or  south.  And  when  I  carne  I  was  entertained 
with  an  account  of  all  the  chasings  her  pursuers  had  given 
her,  and  how  they  had  threatened  to  rob  her  of  her  corn. 
I  told  her  Boaz  was  not  in  the  field ;  if  he  had  been,  he 
would  not  have  served  her  so.  It  is  true  we  use  his  words 
<in  our  church  service,  "  The  Lord  be  with  you;"  and  the 
pious  reapers  reply,  "  and  with  thy  spirit,"  but  this  language 
is  now  quite  out  of  fashion  in  our  harvest  fields. 

Notwithstanding  their  chasing  the  clergyman's  wife  from 
field  to  field,  she  gleaned  as  much  or  more  than  Ruth  of  old 
did.  As  for  our  harvest,  that  was  piled  up  on  each  side  of 
our  bed,  which  served  instead  of  curtains  :  so  we  slept,  de- 
fended with  the  staff  of  life,  having  all  our  tithes  in  our  bed 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

chamber  ;  (which,  by  the  by,  I  believe  was  one  of  the  small- 
est tithe-barns  in  Christendom.)  Our  corn  was  threshed 
out  in  the  chamber,  and  winnowed  on  the  marsh;  a  sheet 
serving  for  a  barn  floor.  The  whole  quantity  of  our  wheat, 
when  measured,  amounted  to  four  bushels  and  a  quarter, 
exclusive  of  some  peas  and  a  little  barley.  My  dame  thresh- 
ed out  the  corn,  and  baked  the  bread; "and  I  paid  her  so 
much  per  loaf,  as  an  encouragement  to  her  future  industry, 
and  to  buy  her  such  necessaries  as  she  wanted.  God  visit- 
ing me  with  such  severe  poverty  without,  and  conscience 
keeping  me  strictly  honest  within,  drove  me  to  be  as  severe 
with  my  wife  as  Paul  was  with  his  flock  when  he  made  a 
law  that,  if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should  they  eat. 

I  should  not  have  entertained  my  reader  with  such  a  long 
account  about  gleaning,  if  God  had  not  left  so  much  of  it 
upon  record  in  the  book  of  Ruth ;  where  we  have  an  account 
of  that  spiritual  proselyte  going  to  glean  in  order  to  sup- 
port herself  and  her  mother-in-law ;  yea,  the  grain  that  she 
gleaned,  and  the  quantity  also ;  and  of  the  good  hand  of  her 
God  in  guiding  her  to  the  field  of  Boaz,  a  man  whom  Prov- 
idence had  appointed  to  be  her  future  partner  in  life  ;  and 
who  was  her  husband,  in  law-reckoning,  provided  the  cov- 
etous and  unbelieving  kinsman  (whom  Heaven  refused  to 
honor  with  such  a  wife)  declined  his  lawful  right,  for  fear 
that  his  obedience  to  God's  command  should  brino-  him  to 

O 

poverty.  But  God,  who  commands  us  not  to  be  unequally 
yoked  together,  guided  her  to  the  field  of  Boaz  ;  a  man  who 
did  not  curse  her  for  her  religion,  but  commended  her  for 
her  faith,  chastity,  and  industry ;  and  added  the  blessing  of 
God  to  the  begun  work  of  grace,  wishing  her  a  full  reward 
of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  under  whose  wings  she  was  come 
to  trust. 

In  the  following  winter  the  Lord  sent  a  very  deep  snow, 
which  lay  a  considerable  time  on  the  ground.     Our  wheat 


40     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

was  now  of  great  use  to  us,  as  it  supplied  us  with  bread  for 
two  or  three  months.  But  we  were  shortly  brought  into 
another  strait  through  this  snow.  We  used  to  buy  faggots 
of  our  landlady  to  burn,  (being  all  the  fuel  we  could  get  at 
that  time,)  who  one  night  informed  us  that  she  had  but  ten 
faggots  left,  which  she  must  keep  for  herself,  as  there  was 
no  likelihood  of  th"e  snow  going  away.  Therefore  she  said 
she  could  sell  us  no  more.  To  this  I  replied  that,  if  she  was 
in  trouble  for  fear  of  suffering  with  the  cold,  when  she  had 
so  much  wood  by  her,  surely  we  had  much  more  cause  to 
fear  who  had  a  young  child.  However,  I  begged  of  God  that 
night  to  take  away  the  snow,  or  send  us  something  to  burn, 
that  our  little  one  might  not  perish  with  the  cold ;  and  the 
next  morning  the  snow  was  all  gone.  God  had  sent  out  his 
word,  and  melted  it ;  he  had  caused  his  wind  to  blow,  and 
the  water  to  flow.  Psal.  cxlvii.  18. 

After  some  time  our  wheat  was  gone,  and  we  were  oblig- 
ed to  eat  barley  again ;  and,  having  paid  away  our  money 
to  redeem  our  clothes,  we  began  to  get  very  short  of  other 
necessary  apparel,  which,  however,  we  soon  retrieved  ;  for, 
as  I  worked  by  day,  cobbled  at  night,  and  lived  upon  bar- 
ley, we  kept  ourselves  out  of  debt,  and  tolerably  decent  in 
clothes.  But  this  living  on  barley  was  attended  with  very 
bad  consequences;  for,  as  I  had  never  been  used  to  it 
before,  and  now  living  almost  entirely  upon  it,  without  mix- 
ing it  with  wheat,  it  threw  a  violent  humor  into  my  eyes, 
and  for  some  months  I  was  in  danger  of  losing  my  sight ; 
but,  by  using  one  simple  thing  or  other,  they  got  better. 
My  second  daughter  brought  the  same  humor  into  the  world 
with  her  ;  and  both  myself  and  the  child  had  it,  more  or 
less,  for  some  years,  though  not  so  violently  as  at  first.  I 
have  often  viewed  this  affliction  on  the  child  with  great 
grief;  but,  in  answer  to  prayer,  God  healed  her  eyes  and 
mine  too,  so  that  our  sight  was  perfectly  recovered.  • 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  41 

0 

When  harvest  came  on  again  we  went  to  gleaning,  as 
before,  and  got  no  less  than  five  bushels  of  corn  ;  but  my 
dame  was  pursued  as  formerly ;  for  my  continuing  to  preach 
had  alarmed  and  much  offended  almost  the  whole  parish, 
therefore  they  were  more  fierce  in  pursuing  her.  On  the 
other  hand,  some  were  afraid  of  going  near  her,  lest  they 
should  catch  a  religious  infection ;  it  being  reported  abroad 
that  there  was  something  of  a  power  that  seized  upon  them ; 
and  that,  if  we  once  got  them  to  hear  what  we  had  to  say, 
there  was  no  getting  away  from  our  religion ;  as  this  secret 
something,  that  seized  them,  held  them  so  fast  that  they 
must  immediately  change  their  own  religion.  I  have  known 
some  men,  whom  I  have  met,  go  quite  out  of  the  path,  and 
take  a  circle  in  the  field,  rathe*  than  pass  me  on  the  road ; 
just  as  if  that  secret  something  could  not  seize  them  whilst 
walking  on  the  grass  as  well  as  on  the  foot-path. 

I  now  began  to  lose  favor  with  my  master  ;  having 
preached  among  the  poor  people  till  some  of  them  refused 
to  work  on  the  Lord's  day.  Wherefore  he  inquired  into  the 
cause;  and  was  informed  that  the  gardener  had  been 
preaching  to  them  against  profaning  the  Lord's  day,  which 
was  the  reason  why  some  would  not  work  on  that  day.  Oth- 
ers murmured,  because  they  were  compelled  to  labor  while 
some  were  exempted.  This  provoked  him  much ;  and  he 
said  he  should  expect  me  to  work  in  the  garden  on  the 
Lord's  day.  I  told  him  I  did  not  choose  to  do  that.  He 
then  swore  at  me,  saying  that,  if  I  did  not,  I  should  not 
work  for  him.  I  replied  that  I  would  not,  if  I  lost  my  em- 
ployment ;  so,  in  a  few  days  after,  he  told  me,  with  several 
imprecations,  to  work  no  more  for  him.  He  owed  me  a 
trifle  for  a  few  days'  work ;  but  as  he  did  not  offer  to  pay 
me,  I  never  asked  him  for  it.  He  knew  at  the  same  time 
that  my  wife  was  big  with  child,  and  ready  to  lie  in ;  and 


42     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

that  we  were  very  poor.  I  was  informed  that  he  expected 
me 'to  come  back  with  a  suppliant  knee;  but  I  was  deter- 
mined that  I  would  not  sell  my  conscience  for  a  loaf  of  bar- 
ley bread,  as  it  had  cost  my  Saviour  so  much  to  purge  it ; 
therefore  I  set  off  for  Thames  Dttton,  and  carried  coals  in 
the  river  for  fourteen  months  at  ten  shillings  per  week,  and 
preached  during  that  time  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  one  eve- 
ning lecture  in  the  week.  All  this  time  I  suffered  much 
both  in  body  and  mind,  and  found,  that  the  iniquity  of  those 
who  wrought  with  me  began  to  harden  my  heart ;  therefore 
I  was  determined  to  leave  that  situation,  and  go  to  my  old 
business  again.  I  got  three  or  four  days'  work  at  Moulsey; 
when  a  farmer  came  to  my  master,  and  told  him  to  discharge 
me,  having  begun  to  preach  out  of  doors.  It  was  here  that 
I  committed  this  great  offence  of  preaching  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  high  road.  On  this  account  I  was  turned  out  of  em- 
ployment, and  remained  so  for  three  weeks ;  during  which 
time  a  gentleman  at  Mitcham  sent  for  me  to  come  over  there 
the  week  following,  to  preach  in  their  meeting,  as  he  had 
long  entertained  a  great  desire  of  hearing  me. 

A  few  days  before  this  a  gentleman  had  given  me  an  old 
black  coat  and  waistcoat ;  which,  being  very  large,  made 
coat,  waistcoat  and  breeches  for  me.  So  on  the  day  ap- 
pointed I  put  on  my  parsonic  attire,  which  was  the  first  time 
I  ever  appeared  clad  in  that  color ;  my  usual  appearance 
being  more  like  the  ploughman  or  the  fisherman;  but  now 
I  appeared  in  the  external  habit  of  a  priest.  And  surely 
the  good  hand  of  my  God  was  with  me,  and  I  went  and  de- 
livered my  message  in  his  name.  As  it  had  been  reported 
that  a  coal-heaver  was  coming  to  preach,  there  were  a  great 
many  people  gathered  together  to  hear  me.  After  I  had 
finished  my  discourse,  a  lady  came  to  me  and  gave  me  a 
new  book,  and  blessed  me ;  a  gentleman,  too,  put  a  letter 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  43 

in  my  hand,  laying  an  injunction  upon  me  not  to  open  it  till 
I  got  home ;  in  which  I  found  enclosed  a  guinea  and  four 
shillings,  with  these  words  written  :  "  Take  this  as  from  the 
hand  of  the  Lord,  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire." 
Luke  x.  17. 

These  kind  providences  of  God  did  wonderfully  endear 
the  Lord  to  me,  and  brought  me  to  live  by  the  faith  of  him 
for  a  supply  of  all  my  wants;  and  indeed  I  was  obliged  to 
do  it,  for  I  could  get  no  employment.  And,  though  I  had 
preaching  enough  for  a  bishop,  yet  I  had  nothing  coming  in 
to  live  upon  for  so  doing  ;  my  flocks  were  as  poor  as  myself, 
at  least  the  generality  of  them ;  and  my  family  still  contin- 
ued increasing. 

In  this  dilemma,  a  professor  of  the  gospel,  who  was  by 
trade  a  shoemaker,  asked  me  one  day  to  come  to  him  and 
learn  to  make  children's  shoes ;  which  at  last  I  agreed  to, 
and  learned  to  make  them  (though  in  a  very  rough  manner) 
in  a  short  space  of  time. 

I  now  took  my  work  home  to  my  house,  and  wrought 
there ;  and  a  few  poor  journeymen,  who  attended  my  min- 
istry, and  were  single  men,  (and  therefore  not  so  poor  as 
their  pastor,)  gave  me  some  tools ;  till  at  length  I  became  a 
shoemaker,  and  worked  at  it  for  my  bread ;  while  the  love 
of  Christ  constrained  me  to  preach  for  the  good  of  souls, 
without  making  the  gospel  a  burden  to  any.  I  was  now  in 
as  bad  a  state  as  poor  Paul,  who  preached  the  gospel  freely, 
and  made  tents  for  his  livelihood  ;  his  own  hands  minister- 
ing to  his  necessities,  while  his  tongue  was  ministering  to 
the  necessities  of  thousands.  If  he  had  preached  up  hea- 
then morality  he  need  not  have  fared  so  hard  ;  for  the  world 
loves  that,  and  the  preachers  of  it.  The  Saviour  says, 
"  The  world  loves  her  own  ;  and  she  never  serves  her  own 
children  as  she  does  the  children  of  God." 


44     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

As  I  began  this  business  so  late  in  my  life  time,  I  was  a 
very  slow  hand  at  it ;  and  therefore  was  obliged  to  turn  my 
help-meet  into  a  shop-mate ;  that  is,  I  taught  my  wife  to  close 
the  shoes  which  I  made  ;  and  both  of  us  could  earn  about 
eight  shillings  per  week.  I  had  now  five  times  a  week  to 
preach  constantly  ;  on  which  account  I  was  forced  to  lay 
the  Bible  in  a  chair  by  me,  and  now  and  then  read  a  little, 
in  order  to  furnish  myself  with  matter  for  the  pulpit.  It 
sometimes  happened  that  I  was  under  sore  temptations  and 
desertions;  the  Bible  too  appeared  a  sealed  book,  insomuch 
that  I  could  not  furnish  myself  with  a  text ;  nor  durst  I 
leave  my  work  in  order  to  study  or  read  the  Bible  ;  if  I  did, 
my  little  ones  would  soon  want  bread ;  my  business  would 
also  run  very  cross  at  those  times.  I  therefore  found  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel  to  be  work  enough  for  any  man,  with- 
out leaving  the  word  of  God  to  serve  tables. 

After  I  had  been  about  eight  or  ten  months  at  this  trade, 
my  master  failed  in  business,  and  no  body  else  would  em- 
ploy me.  I  was  now  a  fortnight,  or  more,  out  of  work, 
which  sorely  tried  me  indeed ;  for  it  so  happened  that  we 
were  forced  to  put  our  little  ones  to  bed  one  night  without 
a  supper,  and  their  dinner  was  a  very  scanty  one.  When 
they  saw  me  look  in  the  cupboard,  and  shut  the  door  again 
without  giving  them  any  thing,  they  lisped  out  some  very 
pathetic,  though  broken  accents,  expressive  of  want,  which 
touched  my  parental  feelings  very  sorely,  and  took  away  my 
rest  for  that  night.  In  the  morning  I  got  up  and  went  out, 
but  where  to  go  I  knew  not ;  and  I  could  not  endure  the 
thought  of  staying  at  home  to  see  my  little  ones  want  bread. 
But  these  words  were  sweet  and  suitable  to  me :  "  He  hath 
chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom."  And  I  well  knew  it  was- "  easier  for  a  camel  to 
go  through  the  needle's  eye  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  the 


,  ANDTHEBANKOFFAITH.  45 

kingdom  of  God."  In  this  miserable  situation  I  knew  not 
where  to  go.  If  I  left  off  preaching,  and  run  from  the 
work,  (as  Jonah  did,)  I  should  deny  the  Lord  that  bought 
me.  Though  I  was  willing  to  work,  yet  none  would  em- 
ploy me  on  account  of  my  religion  ;  and  if  I  stayed  at  home, 
my  little  ones  were  crying  for  bread.  Indeed  I  should  often 
have  run  from  the  work  of  God,  had  not  his  terrors  stood 
on  my  conscience  in  battle  array  against  me.  At  this  time 
no  book  could  suit  me  but  the  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah. 
To  these  I  constantly  fled  for  comfort;  for,  like  him,  I 
often  was  for  running  away,  but  could  not ;  therefore  God 
fulfilled  his  word  — "  They  shall  be  my -people,  and  shall 
not  depart  from  me."  I  went  that  morning  as  far  as  Kings- 
ton, but  where  I  was  to  find  relief  I  knew  not :  however, 
just  as  I  came  into  the  town,  it  suddenly  came  in  my  mind 
to  go  to  Mr.  Chapman,  then  living  on  Hounslow-Heath ;  a 
person  who  had  known  me  for  some  years,  even  before 
either  of  us  knew  the  Lord ;  and  who  was  called  by  grace 
about  the  same  time  that  I  was.  He  had  often  invited  me 
to  come  and  visit  him ;  wherefore  I  now  obeyed  the  impulse 
which  I  felt,  and  accordingly  went  over  Kingston  bridge 
directly  to  Hounslow  Heath,  where  I  found  him  and  his 
wife  at  home.  I  was,  however,  determined  not  to  make  my 
deep  distress  known  to  them,  but  intended  to  watch  the  good 
hand  of  my  God  in  this  journey.  The  good  man  and  his 
wife  received  me  very  affectionately ;  and,  after  kindly  en- 
tertaining me,  loaded  me  home  with  many  simple  dainties 
for  the  children,  though  at  that  time  they  knew  not  how  I 
had  left  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  I  departed,  that 
the  good  man  walked  two  miles  with  me,  and  on  the  road 
offered  me  a  guinea,  which  I  refused ;  saying  that,  if  he 
would  give  me  half  a  guinea,  I  would  accept  it,  provided  it 
was  with  his  wife's  knowledge.  He  said  it  was.  So  I  took 


46    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

the  half-guinea,  wondering  how  I  should  pay  the  fare  of  the 
bridge  to  get  home,  fearing  they  might  not  be  able  to  give 
me  change ;  but  I  cast  my  eyes  on  the  ground,  and  there 
lay  a  penny,  which  served  to  pay  the  toll  of  the  bridge.  So 
I  got  safe  home,  and  was  received  with  a  hearty  welcome. 
And  thus  I  made  a  better  voyage  of  it  than  Naomi,  who 
went  out  full  and  returned  empty. 

As  I  had  lost  all  my  employment  in  shoe-making,  I  was 
obliged  to  try  another  branch  of  business: — -I  therefore 
commenced  cobbler.  But  as  none  would  employ  me  in  this 
business  except  those  who  attended  my  ministry,  sometimes 
I  had  work  and  sometimes  I  had  none.  So  that  I  found 
this  branch  of  business  attended  with  many  inconveniences ; 
for  it  often  happened  at  the  beginning  of  the  week  that  I 
had  a  little  to  .do,  and  at  the  latter  end  rather  more  than  I 
could  get  done ;  which,  with  sitting  up  till  twelve  o'clock 
on  the  Saturday  nigTit,  -and  having  eleven  miles  to  walk, 
and  three  times  to  preach  on  the  Lord's  day,  rendered  my 
labors  too  hard  for  me,  as  my  living  was  very  inconsidera- 
ble ;  however,  God  made  this  circumstance  of  great  use  to 
my  soul ;  therefore  it  was  one  of  the  all-things  that  work 
together  for  good. 

I  had  naturally  a  very  great  flow  of  spirits ;  so  that  this  poor 
way  of  living  gradually  brought  on  me  an  inward  weakness, 
attended  with  the  loss  of  appetite ;  which  rendered  me  in- 
capable of  taking  that  nourishment  my  labors  necessarily 
Tequired.  I  could  drink  nothing  but  water  or  small  beer 
for  some  years  together,  which  at  times  brought  me  so  low 
that  I  was  obliged  to  gird  my  stomach  with  a  handkerchief 
as  tight  as  I  could  bear  it,  in  order  to  gather  strength  to 
enable  me  to  deliver  three  discourses  a  day.  At  length  I 
got  so  low  that  one  pint  of  good  small  beer  rendered  me  in- 
capable of  walking  steady ;  and  Satan  violently  tempted  me 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  47 

,. 

on  this  head.  Some  of  my  friends,  who  saw  the  case  I  was 
in,  feziring  that  I  should  shortly  come  to  an  end,  labored 
hard  to  dissuade  me  from  this  mode  of  living ;  but  in  vain. 
Sometimes  they  would  mix  my  small  beer  with  a  little  ale; 
which  I  could  immediately  detect,  and  was  apt  to  view  them 
my  enemies  for  so  doing ;  but  they  did  it  thrpugh  fear  that 
I  should  throw  myself  into  a  consumption,  and  that  one 
little  branch  of  the  church  of  Christ  might  thereby  sustain 
a  loss.  For  five  years  I  went  on  in  this  manner,  till  there 
was  scarce  one  step  between  me  and  death.  But  I  gradu- 
ally got  rid  of  this  habit,  as  the  Lord  appeared  more  precious 
to  me  in  a  way  of  providence,  and  God  sanctified  it  to  the 
good  of  my  soul ;  for  this  poverty  and  bad  living  brought 
many  infirmities  on  me,  which  have  at  times  lain  as  a  can- 
ker-worm at  the  root  of  my  natural  levity.  I  now  began 
clearly  to  see'that  God  intended  to  establish  me  as  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel,  by  his  opening  many  doors  for  me,  and  be- 
cause many  souls  were  awakened  by  my  instrumentality. 
Blessed  be  God,  such  shall  be  my  joy  and  crown  of  rejoic- 
ing in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

I  found  it,  however,  impossible  to  preach  five  or  six  times 
a  week,  and  carry  on  the  business  of  cobbling  at  the  same 
time ;  especially,  as  it  generally  came  in  so  fast  at  the  latter 
end  of  the  week  —  a  time  when  I  wanted  to  study  the 
scriptures,  in  order  to  furnish  myself  with  matter  for  the 
Lord's  day.  Wherefore  I  determined  to  give  up  this  em- 
ployment, and  continue  in  the  work  of  God  only,  whatever 
T  might  suffer  by  it.  In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  I 
went  to  a  poor  cobbler,  who  lived  in  the  same  place  with 
me,  and  to  him  I  give  my  kit  of  tools,  threw  myself  entirely 
on  the  propitious  arm  of  kind  Providence,  and  gave  myself 
wholly  to  the  ministry  of  the  word,  and  prayer. 

At  this  time  I  had  left  my  ready-furnished  lodgings,  and 


48     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

••* 

rented  a  little  cottage  at  three  pounds  eighteen  shillings  per 
annum ;  and  we  had  about  half  as  much  furniture  to  put  in 
it  as  a  porter  would  carry  at  one  load. 

Having  thus  left  off  my  cobbling  business,  Providence 
exercised  my  faith  and  patience  very  sharply  at  times,  and 
suffered  me  to  get  a  little  behind-hand  in  the  worljd ;  which 
caused  me  to  cry  and  pray  day  and  night;  for  I  knew  that 
the  cause  in  which  I  had  embarked  would  be  exposed  to 
contempt  if  I  contracted  a  debt  and  could  not  pay  it.  And 
though  this  is  not  felt  by  the  rich,  yet  it  lies  heavy  on  the 
mind  of  the  poor,  honest  Christian.  But  in  answer  to 
prayer,  God  sent  to  my  house  a  gentleman  of  great  proper- 
ty, very  much  noted  in  the  religious  world  for  liberality ; 
who,  after  he  had  stayed  with  me  a  few  hours,  ordered  his 
carriage,  and  at  his  departure  gave  me  five  guineas ;  at 
which  I  was  amazed,  he  being  a  stranger  to*me,  and  one 
whom  I  had  never  before  seen.  This  served  to  buy  me 
some  few  household  necessaries,  as  also  to  pay  off  the  debt 
which  I  had  contracted.  Oh,  who  would  not  choose  the 
precious  life  of  dependency  on  God,  when  the  tender  regard 
of  Providence  in  our  poverty  is  so  clearly  seen  in  those  rich 
supplies  which  are  poured  forth  in  answer  to  the  simple, 
though  powerful,  prayer  of  faith  ? 

At  this  time  I  stood  in  great  need  of  linen,  and  of  a  new 
suit  of  clothes,  my  old  black  ones  being  almost  worn  out. 
I  often  begged  this  favor  of  God,  agreeable  to  his  own  word. 
"  If  God  so  clothe  the  grass,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow 
is  cast  into  the  oven,  will  he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  O 
ye  of  little  faith?"  But  God  exercised  my  patience  long, 
teaching  me  the  necessity  of  importunity  in  prayer ;  and  at 
last  answered  me  by  terrible  things  in  righteousness  ;  for  he 
sent  a  violent  storm  of  persecution,  which,  from  its  proving 
intolerable,  obliged  me  to  seek  redress  from  the  law  of  the 


AND     THE     B'ANK     OF     FAITH.  49 

land,  as  I  was  legally  licensed.  My  appeal,  however,  prov- 
ed in  vain;  for,  upon  the  trial,  my  license  proved  an  im- 
proper one,  from  the  word  tcacln-r,  or  preacher,  being  left 
out  of  it ;  which  was  not  my  fault,  as  I  had  applied  and 
procured  it  legally.  I  was  now  obliged  to  go  to  London, 
and  get  another  license.  And  here  the  answer  to  my  for- 
mer prayers  appeared.  I  was  obliged  to  tarry  in  town  all 
night,  and,  as  there  was  a  person  who  had  long  wanted  to 
see  me,  (not  from  any  personal  knowledge  of  me,  but  from 
various  reports  he  had  heard  of  the  Lord's  dealings  with 
me,)  I  endeavored  to  find  him  out,  and  accordingly  did. 
He  received  me  very  courteously,  and  kindly  entertained 
me,  at  a  time  of  my  undergoing  a  sharp  trial.  "  A  man's 
own  heart  deviseth  his  way,  but  the  Lord  directeth  his 
steps." 

As  answers  to  prayer  now  seemed  to  be  wholly  denied, 
my  faith  in  God's  providence  began  to  fail.  And  in  very 
deed  I  was  determined  to  leave  my  ministerial  work,  and  go 
and  settle  at  Guildford,  where  I  thought  I  could  get  employ- 
ment as  a  gardener,  and  preach  to  my  little  flock  at  Wook- 
ing  on  the  Lord's  day.  But  alas !  "  there  are  many  devices 
in  a  man's  heart,  but  the  counsel  of  the  Lord  that  shall 
stand."  However,  in  order  to  accomplish  this  with  some 
degree  of  conscience,  I  endeavored  to  get  a  supply  of  min- 
isters for  the  various  places  I  preached  at.  But  all  my-efforts 
were  in  vain.  And  indeed  there  wae  little  encouragement 
for  any  to  undertake  to  supply  them,  as  they  were  so  distant 
from  London,  and  as  it  was  in  much  opposition  that  the 
cause  was  carried  on ;  besides,  there  were,  neither  tithes, 
offerings,  nor  surplice  fees,  attending  their  labors.  Those 
who  undertook  the  work  must  have  gone  on  this  warfare 
entirely  at  their  own  expense. 

As  I  could  not  possibly  get  any  assistance  in  my  ministe- 
7 


50     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

rial  labors,  I  knew  not  how  to  go  on,  having  no  clothes  fit 
to  be  seen  in.  I  suffered,  too,  even  for  want  of  the  common 
necessaries  of  life  ;  for  I  had  as  much  travelling  and  preach- 
ing as  I  was  able  to, do,  had  I  lived  ever  so  well ;  but  being 
obliged  to  live  very  low,  I  was  hardly  able  to  go  through  the 
work  in  any  shape.  I  was  as  bad  off  as  poor  Paul  —  I  suf- 
fered hunger,  cold,  and  nakedness. 

The  good  man,  whom  I  have  before  mentioned,  and  at 
whose  house  I  lodged  that  night,  purposed  that  I  should  go 
into  Sussex,  to  preach  at  the  place  of  his  nativity.     I  told 
him  that  the  apparel  I  then  had  on,  was  all  the  clothes  I  was 
possessed  of,  wherefore  I  was  really  not  fit  to  be  seen  any 
where,  and  that  I  was  likewise  in  debt.     He  asked  me  if  I 
would  stay  and  preach  in  one  of  his  rooms  in  the  evening 
to  a  few  friends  he  would  invite.     I  complied  with  his  re- 
quest, and  accordingly  preached;    where  three  gentlemen 
gave  me  each  a  guinea.     The  good  man  also  went  to  some 
of  his  friends,  and  made  up  the  sum  of  nine  guineas,  with 
which  I  got  proper  clothing  and   other  necessaries;    and 
there  was  a  little  money  left  to  pay  some  debts  which  I  had 
contracted.     Thus  I  went  home  with  a  full  answer  to  my 
prayers,  and  in  my  second  suit  of  parsonic  attire.     This 
circumstance  much  encouraged  my  faith  in  God's  providence, 
and  caused  me  perpetually  to  beg  of  God  to  be  my  only 
provider,  teacher  and  master ;  and  that  he  would  always  di- 
rect my  steps   and    supply  my  wants,   and   not  leave  me 
dependent  on  an  arm  of  flesh.     In  my  prayers  I  often  made 
this  my  plea  —  that,  as  he  had  called  me,  without  the  instru- 
mentality of   any  preacher,  and  sent  me  out  without  the 
approbation  or  disapprobation  of  any  one,  and  had  in  a  way 
of  providence  opened  many  doors  before  me,  and  blessed 
my  labors  to  the  good  of  many  souls,  he  would  also  let  his 
providence  appear  to  me  as  I  might  stand  in  need  of  it  — 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  51 

that  I  might  not  be  burdened  with  cares  about  what  I  should 
eat,  or  what  I  should  drink,  or  wherewithal  I  should  be 
clothed;  but  that  I  might  devote  body,  soul,  time,  and  tal- 
ents to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  to  the  good  of  his  chosen. 
These  petitions  God  has  been  pleased  to  answer  in  some 
measure  ever  since. — "  I  have  been  young,  and  now  am 
old  ;  yet  have  I  not  seen  the  righteous  forsaken,  nor  his  seed 
begging  bread." 

At  my  return  from  London,  I  could  not  help  making  my 
boast  of  God,  even  in  the  pulpit.  And,  as  my  persecutors 
had  burnt  me  in  effigy  a  little  while  before,  I  told  my  audi- 
ence that  God  had  sent  me  a  new  suit  of  clothes  as  it  were 
out  of  the  ashes,  my  persecutors  having  burnt  a  suit,  with 
which  they  clothed  the  effigy,  not  much  unlike  my  old  one. 
Seeing  me  thus  clad  was  a  great  grief  to  the  opposers  of 
God ;  they  were  sorry  to  see  any  raised  up  to  seek  the  wel- 
fare of  the  children  of  Israel. 

I  had  now  a  pleasing  gale  of  prosperity  for  some  time  ; 
but  shortly  after  another  cloud  of  frowning  providences  gath- 
ered thick  over  my  head,  and  kept  me  long  in  suspense,  un- 
til I  had  run  fourteen  or  fifteen  pounds  in  debt  —  more  by 
ten  pounds  than  I  had  ever  owed  before.  But,  as  my  faith 
in  Providence  had  been  sharply  tried,  and  was  strengthened 
by  these  trials,  a  greater  burden  was  laid  upon  me.  And 
thus  I  found  Faith's  task  to  be  always  proportionable  to  her 
strength.  In  the  midst  of  this  trouble,  the  little  flock  at 
Wooking  desired  me  to  take  the  charge  of,  and  to  be  or- 
dained over  them  ;  to  which  I  consented,  and  gave  my 
promise.  On  my  return  home  afterwards,  however,  Satan 
violently  tempted  me ;  and  unbelief  and  carnal  reason  fell 
in  with  the  temptation.  It  was  for  having  refused  some  calls 
in  the  country,  where  the  people  would  have  supported  me 
as  their  pastor  if  I  would  have  accepted  their  call ;  but  now, 


52     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

as  I  had  agreed  to  take  the  charge  of  a  flock  that  could  not 
support  me,  I  should  be  for  ever  tied  down  from  accepting 
any  other  call  —  that  my  family  was  still  increasing  —  that 
I  was  deeply  in  debt  —  that  my  clothes  were  got  as  bad  as 
ever  —  that  my  year  was  now  out — and  that  my  gracious 
master  had  not  given  me  a  new  livery,  nor  was  there  any 
appearance  of  it.  But,  blessed  be  God,  I  had  the  inward 
recompense,  of  a  good  conscience,  Because  I  did  not  take 
the  oversight  of  God's  flock  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready 
mind. 

Having  waded  some  time  in  this  dreadful  flood,  I  began 
at  length  to  reason,  from  past  experience,  that  God  had 
hitherto  been  gracious ;  and,  as  he  had  set  me  to  work,  I 
must  look  to  him  for  my  wages.  But  this  Satan  attempted 
to  overthrow,  by  suggesting  that  I  was  never  so  much  in 
debt  before.  Which  I  knew  to  be  true ;  so  that  my  faith 
began  to  fail,  and  I  mistrusted  the  providence  of  God.  But 
these  words  came  so  sweet  to  my  mind,  and  with  so  much 
power,  that  they  bore  down  all  that  the  tempter  could  sug- 
gest—  "Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness, and  all  these  things  will  be  added  unto  you."  "  A 
word  spoken  in  due  season  is  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures 
of  silver." 

The  next  day  in  the  evening  I  preached  at  Hammersmith ; 
and  when  I  came  down  from  the  pulpit  a  gentleman  desired 
me  to  call  at  his  house,  where  he  had  ordered  a  tailor  to 
measure  me  for  a  suit  of  clothes,  of  which  he  intended  to 
make  me  a  present.  As  soon  as  the  words  were  out  of  his 
mouth  the  same  scripture  recoiled  with  power  on  my  mind, 
"  Seek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and 
all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you."  I  hung  down  my 
head  and  wept  for  joy  at  the  goodness  of  my  God  to  one 
who  was  so  slow  of  heart  to  believe.  In  a  few  days  my 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  53 

clothes  were  made,  and  I  went  ;md  received  them.  This 
was  one  sharp  blow  to  my  unbelief;'  and  led  me  to  see  that 
God  took  care  to  order  apparel  for  me  as  well  as  for  Aaron 
arid  his  sons. 

Now  the  principal  and  most  difficult  work  of  faith  was, 
to  reconcile  my  mind  as  to  the  discharge  of  my  large  debt. 
And  how  this  was  to  be  done  I  knew  not ;  but  this  I  knew, 
that  I  had  not  imprudently  presumed  on  God's  providence, 
having  contracted  it  merely  to  supply  my  wants ;  and,  as  the 
Lord  made  me  trust  him  for  the  fulfilment  of  his  promises,  I 
was  forced  to  get  others  to  trust  me  till  my  faith  could  get 
her  wages  in.  That  I  scored  up  my  blessed  Master,  who, 
in  his  own  time,  always  discharged  my  debts  with  honor 
Thus  God,  who  wrought  a  miracle  to  clear  the  debt  of  a 
poor  widow  by  Elisha  the  prophet,  will  surely  clear  the  just 
debts  of  his  poor  ministers. 

Soon  after  this  my .  friend  in  London  asked  me,  and  I 
agreed,  to  preach  at  his  house :  and  on  the  day  appointed  I 
went ;  when  he  told  me  that  he  had  consulted  the  managers 
of  Margaret  street  chapel  about  my  preaching  there ;  to 
which  they  had  agreed,  and  it  was  advertised  that  I  should 
preach  there  that  night.  At  this  I  was  sorely  offended,  be- 
ing very  much  averse  to  preaching  in  London,  for  several 
reasons.  First,  because  I  had  been  told  it  abounded  so 
much  with  all  sorts  of  errors,  that  I  was  afraid  cf  falling  into 
them,  there  were  so  many  that  lay  in  wait  to  deceive :  sec- 
ondly, because  I  had  no  learning,  and  therefore  feared  I 
should  not  be  able  to  deliver  myself  with  any  degree  of  pro- 
priety ;  and  as  I  knew  nothing  of  Greek  or  Hebrew,  nor 
even  of  the  English  grammar,  that  I  should  be  exposed  to 
the  scourging  tongue  of  every  critic  in  London.  However, 
I  preached  that  night;  and  soon  after  found  myself  induced, 
by  sundry  persuasions,  to  preach  the  word  of  God  statedly 
8 


54     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

in  that  very  chapel.  During  many  weeks  I  labored  under 
much  distress  of  mind,  respecting  my  want  of  abilities  to 
preach  in  this  great  metropolis.  But  God  in  due  time  re- 
moved that  distress,  by  condescending  to  bless  his  word, 
even  from  my  mouth  ;  and  he  was  pleased  to  deliver  a  young 
man  from  a  capital  error  by  the  first  discourse  I  ever  delivered 
at  that  place;  which  appeared  not  only  a  great  encourage- 
ment to  me  at  that  time,  but  also  a  prelude  to  that  future 
success  which  I  might  expect  under  God's  promised  blessing. 
The  above-mentioned  young  man  is  now  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  and  has  been  instrumental  in  calling  others.  So 
that  I  am  become  a  grandfather  from  my  first  London  dis- 
course. 

Being  a  native  of  the  Wild  of  Kent,  which  is  none  of  the 
most  polite  parts  of  the  world,  I  retained  a  .good  deal  of  my 
provincial  dialect ;  and  many  of  my  expressions,  to  the  ears 
of  a  grammarian,  sounded  very  harsh  and  uncouth.  This 
circumstance  caused  many  unsanctified  critics  to  laugh  and 
cavil  at  me.  But,  when  God  permitted  me  to  drop  promis- 
cuously into  company  with  any  of  those  who  were  so  very 
learned,  and  they  began  to  pour  contempt  on  some  of  my 
expressions,  I  generally  found  them  very  deficient  in  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  on  their  own  souls  :  and  though  ^ome  of 
them 'seemed  very  wise  in  gospel  doctrines,  yet  I  could 
easily  find  that  their  knowledge  was  borrowed  from  com- 
mentators, by  their  appearing  great  strangers  to  the  experi- 
ence of  them  on  their  hearts,  and  also  to  the  happy  enjoy- 
ment of  them ;  which  I  knew  they  would  be  able  to  give  an 
account  of,  if  they  had  received  them  wet  with  dew  and 
warm  with  love  from  heaven,  'in  answer  to  the  prayer  of 
faith.  It  is  true  that  some  have  often  confounded  me  in  the 
sense  and  meaning  of  words,  as  also  in  the  original  texts ; 
yet  I  found  that  I  could  as  much  confound  them  in  the  sen- 


AND     THE     IVANK     OFFAITH.  55 

sible  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  agreeable  to  the  word  of 
God  ;  and,  by  my  own  experience  of  the  Spirit's  work, 
could  overthrow  some  expressions  of  theirs  from  the  Hebrew 
language,  especially  those  who  labored  to  overthrow  the 
divinity  of  the  Son  of  God ;  the  manifestation  of  whom  to 
my  own  soul,  agreeable  to  his  word,  has  enabled  me  to  foil 
the  most  accomplished  Ariari  I  have  ever  yet  contended 
with  upon  that  point.  The  only  way  to  prove  Christ's 
divinity  is  to  go  to  him  when  overwhelmed  with  guilt  and 
horror,  and  to  pray  to  him  as  the  eternal  God  ;  and,  if  he 
appear  to  honor  our  faith  and  to  answer  our  prayers,  and 
deliver  us  from  the  wrath  of  God,  the  guilt  of  sin,  the  power 
of  Satan,  the  fear  of  death,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  eternal 
damnation,  and  blesses  us  with  pardon,  peace,  love,  and 
liberty,  he  shall  be  the  eternal  God  of  our  soul's  salvation, 
though  Satan  be  the  God  of  this  unhallowed  world.  For, 
though  the  Arians  talk  of  Christ  as  a  stone  of  help,  yet,  if 
they  allow  him  to  be  no  more  than  a  creature,  they  might 
as  well  call  him  a  sandy  foundation,  as  a  rock ;  for  all  flesh 
is  dust,  and  to  dust  it  must  return.  If  he  had  riot  been  God, 
he  certainly  would  have  seen  corruption,  as  well  as  other 
creatures  have  done  ;  and  that  he  was  raised  from  the  dead 
is  not  owing  to  his  being  man,  but  to  his  being  God  —  "  put 
to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit."  His 
flesh  was  raised  without  seeing  corruption,  because  he  was 
the  Son  of  God  with  power,  and  had  immortality  and  eter- 
nal life  in  himself,  as  the  self-existent  and  independent 
Jehovah.  And  God  the  father  prepared  a  body  for  him, 
and  he  willingly  came  and  took  it  on  him  to  do  his  Father's 
will,  so  he  wore  that  fleshly  garment  till  he  had  finished  the 
work  his  Father  gave  him  to  do,  and  then  dipped  it  in  blood, 
and  sanctified  himself  for  our  sakes,  that  he  might  sanctify 
us  ;  he  then  laid  it  down  for  our  life,  and  raised  it  again  for 


56     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN,  OF  THE  POOR, 

our  justification  ;  took  it  at  last  to  heaven  as  the  first  fruits 
of  them  that  sleep  ;  and  appears  in  it  as  in  an  eternal  tem- 
ple, wherein  dwells  the  glorious  Shekinah,  or  "  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily."  All  our  access  to  God  is 
only  through  that  rent  vail  of  his  flesh ;  and  he,  who  allows 
Christ  to  be  no  more  than  a  creature,  denies  all  the  intrin- 
sic glory  of  the  eternal  Godhead  that  ever  dwelt  between 
the  cherubims,  and  condemns  every  hoping  soul  that  ever 
took  shelter  under  the  shadowing  wings  of  the  Almighty. 

Upon  the  whole,  1  found  my  ignorance  of  Greek  and 
Hebrew  to  be  no  impediment  in  the  way  of  the  Spirit  of 
power,  as  I  firmly  believed  that  God  had  written  his  law  on 
my  heart:  and  I  am  persuaded  that  what  the  Holy  Ghost 
writes  on  the  mind  of  man  is  always  agreeable  to  the  origi- 
nal text;  and  that,  if  there  are  any  errors  in  our  English 
translation,  the  blessed  Spirit  will  never  impress  the  minds 
of  God's  elect  from  a  false  copy,  nor  appear  as  the  broad 
seal  of  heaven1  to  ratify  a  lie.  No  ;  "  he  shall  guide  you 
into  all  truth,  and  he  shall,glorify  me." 

But  I  shall  now  return  to  my  former  subject,  and  inform 
my  reader  how  my  faith  managed  the  great  debt  before 
mentioned,  God  having  long  exercised  my  faith  and 
patience,  until  I  began  to  despair  of  ever  getting  it  paid.  It 
so  happened  that  a  capital  error  crept  into  the  church  of 
God  at  Horsham  in  Sussex  ;  and  some  friends  sent  for  me, 
as  it  was  a  place  where  I  had  often  preached ;  indeed  it  was 
the  first  place  that  I  ever  preached  at  in  a  public  manner. 
I  therefore  complied  with  their  request ;  and  in  my  way 
thither  was  blessed  with  one  of  the  most  comfortable  and 
lively  frames  of  mind  that  I  had  ever  enjoyed.  This  frame 
was  attended  with  a  most  delightful  chain  of  heavenly  med- 
itations ;  which,  when  I  arrived  at  my  journey's  end,  I  com- 
mitted to  paper,  and  sent  to  a  friend  in  town.  This  cir- 


AND     THE     HANK     OF     FAITH.  57 

cumstince,  under  God,  paved  a  way  for  rny  being  invited  to 
preacli  at  Chelsea,  where  I  delivered  a  discourse  from  this 
text  —  "  Children,  have  ye  any  meat?"  I  was  afterward 
informed  that  a  confirmed  Arian  came  out  of  curiosity  to 
hear  me  ;  and,  though  I  knew  nothing  of  it,  I  was  led  in 
the  course  of  my  sermon,  to  be  very  severe  against  the 
destructive  tenets  of  that  sect.  In  •onsequence  of  which 
he  went  home  convinced  ;  and  upon  his  arrival  there  was 
seized  with  a  fit  of  illness,  during  which  Christ  was  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  manifest  his  atonement  to  his  conscience. 
When  he  felt  the  power,  he  cried  out,  "  The  darkness  is 
now  past,  and  the  true  light  shineth."  He  continued  in 
this  divine  ecstacy  till  his  body  dropped  into  the  jaws  "of 
death,  which  was  about  a  fortnight  after  the  above  discourse 
was  delivered.  Thus  God  fulfils  his  word,  "  Those  that 
erred  in  spirit  shall  come  to  understanding,  and  those  that 
murmured  shall  learn  doctrine." 

But  to  return  to  my  subject.  A  gentleman,  famous  for  a 
liberal  turn  of  mind,  asked  me  to  lodge  at  his  house,  with 
which  I  gladly  complied  ;  and  in  the  evening  he  inquired 
about  my  health,  ministerial  success,  and  also  concerning 
my  circumstances.  As  God  alone  knew  my  wants,  so  none 
but  God  could  have  inclined  his  heart  to  relieve  me.  At 
my  departure  he  gave  me  ten  guineas.  This  precious 
answer  to  prayer,  coming  so  seasonably  in  a  time  of  need, 
put  my  discontent  to  the  blush,  dashed  infidelity  itself  out 
of  countenance,  and  stopped  the  mouth  of  an  accusing  devil. 
"  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in 
the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."  Psalms  xxxvii.  3. 

I  found  God's  promises  to  be  the  Christian's  bank  note ; 
and  a  living  faith  will  always  draw  on  the  divine  Banker ; 
yea,  and  the  spirit  of  prayer,  and  a  deep  sense  of  want,  will 
give  an  heir  of  promise  a  filial  boldness  at  the  inexhaustible 
bank  of  heaven. 


58     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

Indeed  the  providence  of  God  is  a  great  mystery  ;  nor 
could  I  unriddle  it,  even  while  I  was  daily  exercised  with 
it.  During  my  residence  at  Ewell  I  have  often  begun  the 
week  with  eighteen  or  twenty  pence,  sometimes  with  two 
shillings,  and  sometimes  with  half  a  crown ;  and  we  have 
lived  through  the  whole  week  upon  that  only,  without  con- 
tracting any  debt.  And  I  found  it  impossible  at  the  week's 
end,  upon  the  best  reflection  I  could  make,-  to  tell  how  we 
had  been  supported  through  the  week.  At  other  times  I 
have  found  that  my  craving  appetite  had  lost  its  keenness, 
insomuch  that  I  have  been  able  to  work  hard  for  two  days 
together  without  any  food  at  all.  And  sometimes  God  has 
indulged  me  with  such  heavenly  views  of  a  glorified  state, 
and  entertained  my  mind  with  such  sweet  contemplations 
on  futurity,  that  my  dinner  hour  has  passed  away  unnoticed  ; 
nor  have  I  once  had  a  thought  about  it  till  four  or  five 
o'clock,  or  near  the  time  of  leaving  my  labor.  But  these 
blessed  acts  of  God's  providential  regard  are  nothing  new; 
for  he  took  away  the  appetite  of  Moses  and  Elijah  for  forty 
days  together  ;  and  he  is  the  same  God  still.  Nor  is  his 
bountiful  hand  at  all  shortened,  though  the  faith  of  the 
necessitous  has  so  often  stretched  it  out.  "  I  will  leave  in 
the  midst  of  thee  a  poor  and  an  afflicted  people,  and  they 
shall  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Zeph.  iii.  12. 

At  my  return  I  discharged  my  debt  as  far  as  the  ten 
guineas  would  go,  and  left  the  other  standing  on  the  book, 
which  Providence  used  as  a  future  exercise  for  my  faith. 
About  that  time  I  was  ordained  over  my  little  flock  at 
Wooking  ;  when  I  found  Providence  began  to  frown  again, 
in  order  to  keep  me  humble.  However,  all  things  worked 
together  for  my  good  ;  for,  being  kept  daily  dependent  on 
God's  providence  by  faith,  I  had  the  precious  enjoyment  of 
sweet  communion  with  God ;  and  every  day  did  his  provi- 


i    fc 

AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAIT 


dence  and  gracious  care  appear  more  or  less  <>\rr  me.  I 
generally  found  those  blessings  the  sweetest  which  had 
caused  me  the  most  importunity  in  prayer.  This  makes 
the  "  dinner  of  herbs,  where  love  is,  better  than  a  stalled 
ox  and  hatred  therewith."  Prov.  xv.  17. 

Some  time  after  this  I  was  brought  into  another  strait, 
by  receiving  a  letter  that  required  me  to  give  up  one  of  my 
little  flocks,  which  happened  to  be  at  that  time  my  chief 
support.  This  plot  was  laid  by  a  person  who  made  a  god 
of  his  wealth,  and  therefore  found  fault  with  my  sermons, 
conceiving  them  levelled  at  him.  And  indeed  the  allega- 
tion was  certainly  well  founded  ;  for,  if  a  man  has  got  the 
world  in  his  heart,  the  preacher  is  sure  of  hitting  him,  if  he 
should  only  draw  a  bow  at  a  venture.  For,  if,  the  love  of 
money  be  the  root  of  all  evil,  it  is  impossible  to  wield  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit  without  cutting  either  root  or  branch. 

This  treatment  drove  me  to  London.  When  I  left  my 
own  home  on  the  Lord's  day  morning,  my  whole  stock  of 
money  amounted  to  no  more  than  two  pence  ;  of  which  I 
took  one  half,  and  left  my  dame  the  other.  One  halfpenny 
of  this  I  paid  at  Hampton  Court  bridge;  and  soon  after  a 
poor  man  asked  alms  of  me,  to  whom  I  gave  the  other  half 
penny.  Then  I  besought  the  Lord  not  to  send  any  other 
person  to  ask  alms  of  me,  until  his  bountiful  hand  had  sup- 
plied my  own  wants.  However,  this  trial  also  worked 
together  for  my  good  ;  for  it  was  the  means  of  bringing  me 
to  preach  constantly  in  London  ;  and  many  who  had  heard 
me  in  town,  met  with  me  at  my  friend's  house,  and  invited 
me  to  preach  at  Margaret  Street  Chapel.  Several  friends 
also  sent  for  me  to  their  houses.  One  gave  me  a  guinea, 
and  others  half  a  guinea,  till  I  had  enough  to  discharge  the 
debt  I  owed. 

Mentioning   these   minute    circumstances    has   offended 


60     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

many  ;  and  some  (of  an  independent  fortune)  have  con- 
demned my  prayers  as  carnal,  in  praying  for  such  temporal 
things ;  but  I  know  that  they  have  taken  many  worse  steps 
both  to  accumulate  and  to  keep  their  independence ;  and  I 
think  it  is  better  to  beg  than  to  steal,  as  say  those  who 
speak  in  proverbs. 

I  now  wanted  to  return  home,  fearing  that  my  family 
would  want  bread  ;  but  just  before  the  time  of  my  departure, 
a  friend  from  Richmond  arrived,  who  informed  me  that  he 
had  been  to  Ditton,  and  supplied  the  wants  of  my  family  ;  for 
he  said  he  had  been  informed  of  the  affair,  and  guessed  how 
my  pocket  stood.  "  Oh  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  children 
of  men  !  "  "  Go  thy  way,  eat  thy  bread  with  joy,  and  drink 
thy  wine  with  a  merry  heart ;  for  God  now  accepteth  thy 
works."  Eccles.  ix.  7. 

At  my  return«home  I  discharged  my  debts,  and  for  a  time 
went  sweetly  on,  under  the  sunshine  both  of  Providence 
and  grace ;  and  God  sent  me  back  again  to  the  flock  which 
I  had  been  commanded  to  leave  by  the  mouth  of  a  rich  and 
covetous  professor.  Thus  God  frustrates  the  counsels  of 
the  wicked,  so  that  his  hands  cannot  perform  his  enter- 
prise. 

But,  as  the  life  of  faith  consists  in  bearing  the  cross  of 
Christ,  we  must  not  expect  to  be  long  without  trials.  Prov- 
idence soon  frowned  on  me  again,  and  I  got  behind  hand  as 
usual.  This  happened,  too,  at  a  time  when  my  wife  was 
lying  in,  destitute  of  those  necessaries/ of  life  which  are 
needful  at  such  times.  The  nurse  came  and  told  her  there 
was  no  tea  in  the  house.  My  wife  replied,  "  Set  the  kettle 
on,  if  there  is  not."  The  nurse  (whose  name  was  Ann 
Webb,  a  daughter  of  mine  in  the  faith,  and  the  first  soul 
that  God  called  by  me,)  said,  "  You  have  no  tea,  nor  can 


AND     THE     BANK      OP     FAITH  61 

you  get  any."  My  wife  replied,  "  Set  on  the  kettle."  She 
did  so;  and  before  it  boiled,  a  woman  (with  whom  at  that 
time  we  had  no  acquaintance,')  came  to  the  door,  and  ti>!<! 
the  nurse  that  she  had  brought  some  tea  as  a  present  to  my 
wife.  Thus  God,  who  showed  Moses  a  stick  to  sweeten  the 
waters  of  Marah,  sent  a  little  tea  to  bitter  the  water  in  my 
dame's  kettle.  Soon  after  my  dame  got  over  her  lying-in, 
tidings  were  brought  to  us  that  a  gospel  minister  was  com- 
ing down  to  Kingston  to  preach  an  evening  lecture,  and  to 
break  bread  to  the  congregation.  I  had  a  great  desire  to 
go  to  the  table,  and  also  to  have  my  child  baptized  at  the 
same  time  ;  but,  as  I  never  could  go  from  the  Lord's  table 
without  offering  my  mite,  and  at  this  time  had  no  money  in 
my  pocket,  I  could  not  go.  However,  I  begged  of  God  to 
send  me  a  little  money  some  way  or  other  for  this  purpose ; 
which  I  verily  believed  he  would.  So  I  waited  till  within 
half  an  hour  of  the  time  to  go,  and  then  began  to  think  I 
should  be  disappointed  ;  but,  just  as  unbelief  set  me  to  mur- 
muring and  complaining,  I  heard  a  man  ride  up  to  my  door 
as  I  was  in  my  study  at  the  back  part  of  the  house ;  and 
when  he  rode  away  again  I  called  to  my  wife  to  get  ready 
to  go.  "  Get  ready  !  "  said  she,  "  why  you  know  we  have 
no  money  ! "  "  Poh  !  poh !  "  said  I,  "  God  has  sent  the 
money  !  "  And  true  enough  it  was  that  GooV  had  sent  it ; 
for  all  the  business  the  man  had  with  us  was  to  give  us  some 
money !  Surely  it  was  God  that  sent  him,  and  none  else ; 
for,  if  the  hairs  of  our  heads  are  all  numbered,  we  have  rea- 
son to  believe  that  our  wants  are;  and  if  God  keeps  our 
hairs  from  falling  to  the  ground,  he  certainly  supplies  our 
wants  too.  Thus  the  good  God  and  Saviour,  who  made  a 
fish  produce  money  for  an  earthly  tribute,  sent  the  man  with 
three  shillings  as  an  offering  to  God,  and  of  his  own  we 
offered  to  him.  1  Chron.  xxix.  14. 


62     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

Soon  after  this  I  was  obliged  to  borrow  a  guinea  of  a  cer- 
tain friend,  which  I  promised  to  pay  him  on  the  Thursday 
night  following,  if  he  would  call  for  it.  And  I  begged  of 
God  to  send  it  me  from  some  quarter  or  other,  firmly  be- 
lieving he  would.  The  day  before  my  friend  had  appointed 
to  call  on  me  for  the  money,  I  was  to  go  out  to  preach 
among  my  friends  ;  and  I  earnestly  besought  God  to  send  it 
me  that  day,  if  it  was  his  will  and  pleasure,  of  which  I  had 
no  more  doubt  than  of  my  own  existence.  However,  I  re- 
turned home  without  it,  and  wondered  how  it  could  be,  see- 
ing the  Saviour  says,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask,  believing, 
ye  shall  have  it ;  and  nothing  shall  be  impossible  unto  you." 
I  told  the  Lord  that  I  had  prayed  in  faith  for  it,  firmly  be- 
lieving I  should  have  it,  but  had  not  obtained  it.  This  text 
of  scripture  came  with  power  to  my  mind :  "  Faith  is  the 
substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things 
not  .seen."  I  had  from  that  time  a  sweet  view  of  that  pas- 
sage, and  delivered  several  discourses  from  it,  which  God 
seemed  to  bless  with  power.  But  to  return  to  my  subject. 
As  soon  as  I  came  home  I  began  to  fret  because  I  had  not 
got  the  money  that  I  expected ;  but  still  the  text  answered 
me,  "  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,"  &c.  I 
replied,  "  If  it  be  the  substance,  it  is  as  sure  as  the  thing 
itself."  Upon  this  the  good  man  came  into  my  study,  and 
I  was  going  to  make  an  apology  to  him ;  but  before  I  open- 
ed my  mouth,  he  said,  "  I  come  to  desire  you  not  to  think 
of  paying  me  the  guinea,  for  I  have  made  you  a  present  of 
it,  and  God  bless  you  with  it."  As  soon  as  he  was  gone  the 
same  passage  of  scripture  recoiled  upon  my  mind  again 
with  much  comfort,  "  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,"  dz/c.  And  indeed  I  clearly  saw  it  to  be  so,  both 
in  spirituals  and  temporals.  Thus  my  faith  was  not  con- 
founded, nor  my  hope  disappointed ;  all  my  trouble  sprung 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAIT  II.  63 

from  my  own  sin,  which  was,  limiting  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel.  I  was  expecting  money  to  pay  the  debt :  but  God 
took  away  from  my  creditor  the  expectation  of  payment. 
Thus,  like  Joseph's  brethren,  I  intended  to  show  myself 
faithful  and  honest,  by  paying  the  money;  but  our  spiritual 
Joseph  was  minded  to  show  me  that  he  had  given  me  treas- 
ure in  the  heart  of  my  creditor. 

About  that  time  a  person  called  upon  me,  and  offered  to 
let  me  the  house  he  then  lived  in,  which  he  was  going  to 
leave.  I  own  I  had  a  desire  after  it,  because  there  was  a 
large  garden  belonging  to  it,  which  I  could  look  after  my- 
self, and  raise,  many  vegetables,  that  would  help  to  support 
my  family.  The  garden  was  walled  in,  Joo,  which  I  much 
admired,  being  very  fond  of  retirement.  There  was  a  sta- 
ble, a  brew-house,  and  every  other  convenience;  and  the 
rent  was  only  six  pounds  ten  shillings  per  annum.  But  the 
man  told  me  it  would  cost  seven  or  eight  pounds  to  take 
the  fixtures  of  the  house  ;  wherefore  I  gave  up  the  thoughts 
of  it,  as  I  had  no  view  of  raising  such  a  sum.  So  I  drove 
it  from  my  thoughts,  though  I  much  wanted  it.  But  God 
hath  "  determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and  the 
bounds  of  our  habitations ;  that  we  should  seek  the  Lord." 
Acts  xvii.  26. 

A  few  days  after  this  a  friend  called  to  see  me;  whom  I 
consulted  about  the  house,  and  showed  it  to  him.  He  per- 
suaded me  to  take  it,  which  I  accordingly  did;  but  was 
obliged  to  wait  a  few  weeks,  till  the  person  I  was  to  succeed 
could  provide  himself  with  another  situation  suitable  for  his 
business.  I  therefore  asked  God  in  prayer  to  enable  me  to 
purchase  the  fixture^  of  this  house,  if  it  was  agreeable  to  his 
sovereign  will  and  pleasure;  for  I  knew  that  God  had  "set 
the  bounds  of  the  people  according  to  the  number  of  the 
children  of  Israel."  Deut.  xxxii.  8.  And  the  providence 


G4  GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

of  God  appeared  so  conspicuous,  that  I  shortly  obtained 
money  enough  to  pay  for  the  fixtures  ;  but  the  person  desired 
me  to  wait  a  few  weeks  longer,  as  he  had  been  disappointed  of 
the  house  he  expected  to  go  into;  so  I  waited  two  months, 
during  which  time  the  money  was  all  spent.  Then  I  begged 
of  God  to  frustrate  my  going  into  the  house  at  all,  if  it  was 
displeasing  to  him,  although  I  much  wanted  it;  because  my 
little  cot  was  placed  in  a  very  vulgar  neighborhood,  and  the 
windows  were  so  very  low  that  I  could  not  study  at  any  of  them 
without  being  exposed  to  the  view  of  my  enemies ;  who 
often  threw  stones  through  the  glass,  or  saluted  me  with  a 
volley  of  oaths  or  imprecations.  This  was  very  disagreea- 
ble to  me.  In  my  public  ministrations  I  expected  nothing 
else  but  the  cruel  venom  of  asps;  but  to  commune  with  my 
God  in  private  was  the  only  swe^et  refuge  I  had  to  flee  to, 
and  the  only  door  of  hope  that  was  open  for  comfort  and 
relief.  However,  Providence  soon  began  to  shine  again ; 
and  indeed  I  had  nothing  else  to  live  on  from  year's  end  to 
year's  end  but  what  God  sent  me  in  answer  to  prayer.  At 
this  time  a  person  gave  me  five  guineas  ;  which  kind  prov- 
idence I  rather  wondered  at.  But  the  following  night  I  had 
a  dream  —  (I  hope  my  brethren  will  not  hate  me  yet  the 
more  because  of  my  dreams,  Gen.  xxxvii.  5 ;  seeing  we  have 
a  scriptural  warrant  for  the  relation  of  them  :  "  He  that  hath 
a  dream,  let  him  tell  a  dream ;  and  he  that  hath  my  word, 
let  him  speak  my  word."  Jer.  xxiii.  28.)  —  I  dreamed  that 
the  person  before-mentioned  sent  to  inform  me  that  he  was 
going  to  leave  his  house;  that  the  things  were  to  be  ap- 
praised on  Friday  morning;  and  that  he  should  expect  me 
to  pay  him  the  money  down  for  the  fixtures.  I  said  in  my 
dream,  "Lord,  thou  knowest  I  cannot  go,  for  I  have  not 
money  enough."  Then  came  this  answer  —  "Go  to  Mr. 
Munday,  cutler,  at  Kingston  upon  Thames,  and  he  will  lend 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  <),"> 

you  as  much  as  you  want."  I  soon  after  awoke,  and  be- 
hold it  was  a  dream  !  therefore  I  took  little  notice  of  it. 
But  in  a  few  hours  the  person  sent  me  word  that  he  was 
going  to  leave  his  house,  and  should  expect  me  to  come  and 
see  the  things  appraised  the  next  morning,  and  pay  him  for 
the  same.  Then  I  began  to  think  it  was  more  than  a 
dream.  The  same  night,  Mr.  Monday,  of  Kingston,  called 
on  me  ;  and  to  the  best  of  my  remembrance,  he  had  never 
been  at  my  house  before.  I  asked  him  if  he  would  lend  me 
a  little  money  ;  he  replied,  "  I  will  .lend  you  all  I  have  in 
my  pocket ;  and,  if  you  will  call  on  me  to-morrow  at  Kings- 
ton, I  will  lend  you  five  pounds  if  you  want  it."  He  ac- 
cordingly lent  me  what  he  then  had  with  him;  and  the  next 
morning,  after  the  things  were  appraised  to  me,  I  paid  for 
them,  having  just  nine  shillings  left.  This  is  the  end  of  my 
dream.  Whether  this  blessing  came  from  Fortune  on  the 
wheel,  or  from  the  Searcher  and  Disposer  of  hearts,  I  shall 
leave  those  to  determine  who  have  got  learning  and  an  inde- 
pendent fortune  at  command. 

My  year  being  now  expired,  I  wanted  a  new  parsonic 
livery ;  wherefore  in  humble  prayer  I  told  my  most  blessed 
Lord  and  Master  that  my  year  was  out,  and  my  apparel  bad 
—  that  I  had  no  where  to  go  for  these  things  but  to  him  ; 
and  as  he  had  promised  to  give  his  servants  food  and  raiment, 
I  hoped  he  would  fulfil  his  promise  to  rne,  though  one  of  the 
worst  of  them.  Seeing  no  immediate  signs  of  my  livery 
coming,  I  began  to  omit  praying  for  it ;  though  God  says, 
"  For  all  these  things  I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of 
Israel,  that  I  may  do  these  things  for  them."  It  fell  out  one 
day  that  I  called  on  a  poor  man,  who  complained  that  he 
could  not  attend  the  word  of  God  for  want  of  apparel 
This  drove  me  to  pray  again  for  my  new  suit  of  clothes, 
that  I  might  give  my  old  ones  to  him.  A  few  days  after 
9 


66     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

this  I  was  desired  to  call  at  a  gentleman's  house  near  Lon- 
don. Indeed  it  had  been  impressed  on  my  mind  for  six 
weeks  before,  that  God  would  use  that  gentleman  as  an 
instrument  to  furnish  me  with  my  next  suit.  And  so  it  fell 
out:  for,  when  I  called  on  him,  upon  leaving  his  house  he 
went  a  little  way  with  me ;  and  while  we  were  on  the  road 
he  said,  "  I  think  you  want  a  suit  of  clothes."  I  answered, 
"  Yes,  Sir,  I  do ;  and  I  know  a  poor  man  that  would  be  very 
glad  of  this  which  I  have  on,  if  my  master  would  furnish 
me  with  another."  When  we  parted  he  desired  me  to  call 
on  him  the  next  morning,  which  I  accordingly  did ;  when 
he  sent  a  tailor  into  the  room,  and  generously  told  me  to  be 
measured  for  what  clothes  I  chose,  and  a  great  coat  also. 
When  I  got  the  new,  I  furnished  the  poor  man  with  my  old 
suit.  This  was  the  fourth  suit  of  apparel  that  rny  Master 
gave  me  in  this  providential  manner,  in  answer  to  the  prayer 
of  faith.  This  God,  who  kept  Israel's  clothes  from  waxing 
old,  though  in  constant  use  for  forty  years,  gave  me  a  new 
suit  every  year. 

I  was  soon  afterwards  brought  into  another  strait.  Hav- 
ing contracted  a  debt  of  five  pounds  for  some  necessaries 
which  I  wanted,  I  promised  to  pay  it  on  a  certain  day ;  and 
I  put  up  many  prayers  that  God  would  enable  me  to  fulfil 
my  promise.  At  last  the  day  arrived,  and  I  had  not  one 
farthing  towards  it.  About  ten  o'clock  the  bell  rung  at  my 
gate.  Supposing  it  to  be  my  creditor,  I  kneeled  down,  and 
begged  of  God  not  to  let  him  come  till  he  had  sent  me  the 
money  to  pay  him.  It  proved  not  to  be  the  man  I  expected, 
but  soon  after  the  bell  rung  again,  and  I  kneeled  down 
again,  and  prayed  with  the  same  words ;  and  was  informed 
a  stranger  wanted  to  see  me.  He  had  much  to  say  to  me 
about  the  things  of  God ;  and  when  he  left  me  he  gave  me 
two  guineas.  Soon  after  this  I  went  to  work  in  my  garden, 
and  another  person,  who  lived  at  a  great  distance,  came  to 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  67 

speak  with  me,  and  gave  me  another  guinea.  After  that  I 
took  a  walk  in  the  fields,  and  met  with  two  gentlemen  who 
feared  God,  and  \vho  came  from  London  on  purpose  to  see 
me.  They  gave  me  two  guineas.  The  next  day  my  cred- 
itor came,  and  his  money  was  ready  for  him.  This  is  like 
the  Lord's  dealings  with  the  poor  widow  by  Elisha;  when 
the  .creditor  came  to  take  the  mother  and  son  for  bond-ser- 
vants,  God  sent  the  creditor  all  his  demands  in  a  pot  of  oil. 
I  have  omitted  one  providence  which  has  just  occurred 
to  my  mind,  and  which  happened  at  the  time  I  carried 
coals  for  my  bread.  It  fell  out  one  night  that  we  were  forc- 
ed to  put  our  little  ones  to  bed  without  a  supper,  which 
grieved  me  much,  and  on  which  account  I  got  but  little 
sleep  all  night;  for  I  lay  and  wept  bitterly  all  night  under 
my  hard  fate.  While  I  was  weeping  and  praying  a  person 
came  to  the  window  and  told  me  there  was  a  load  of  wooden 
hoops  come  to  the  wharf  from  Dorking,  in  Surrey,  and  that 
I  must  get  up  and  unload  them,  which  I  soon  did.  When 
I  had  done,  the  farmer  told  me  he  had  brought  me  a  little 
meat  pie  and  a  flagon  of  cider,  of  which  he  had  heard  me 
say  I  was  very  fond.  As  soon  as  he  was  gone  I  went  home, 
and  endeavored  to  awake  my  young  ones,  but  in  vain  ;  how- 
ever, I  set  them  up  on  the  bolster,  and  they  began  to  eat 
before  they  were  fully  awake.  Thus  God  sent  food  from  a 
very  remote  place,  in  answer  to  the  groaning  petition  of  my 
burdened  heart.  God  grant  that,  if  my  reader  be  a  poor 
Christian,  he  may  take  encouragement  from  these  accounts 
to  pray  and  watch  the  hand  of  God  in  every  time  of  trouble ; 
until  he  sees,  agreeable  to  the  promise,  that  God  causes  all 
his  goodness  tp  pass  before  him.  Oh,  how  sweet  is  the  least 
mercy  when  fitly  timed,  and  brought  forth  so  seasonably ! 
how  it  endears  God  to  the  soul !  —  When  the  poor  widow  of 
Zarepta  was  gathering  two  sticks  to  bake  the  last  cake  for 


68     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OP  THE  POOR, 

her  and  her  son,  that  they  might  eat  once  more  before  they 
died,  then  comes  the  man  of  God,  and  swears  that  the  bar- 
rel of  meal  shall  not  fail  till  God  send  rain  upon  the  earth. 
1  Kings,  xvii.  14. 

At  this  time  I  had  many  doors  opened  to  me  for  preach- 
ing the  gospel,  very  wide  apart.  I  preached  at  Margaret 
street,  in  London;  at  Richmond,  at  Ditton,  at  Cobham,  at 
Wooking,  at  Worplesdon,  and  at  Farnham,  in  Surrey.  This 
I  found  too  much  for  my  strength.  However,  I  continued 
for  a  considerable  time,  till  at  last  I  was  generally  laid  up 
sick  about  once  a  month.  I  found  I  had  great  need  of  a 
horse ;  but  feared  I  should  not  be  able  to  keep  it,  if  I  had 
one.  However,  it  happened  that  I  had  a  very  severe  week's 
work  to  do ;  I  was  to  go  to  Wooking  and  preach  on  the 
Lord's  day  morning,  to  Worplesdon  in  the  afternoon,  and 
from  thence  to  Farnham  in  the  evening ;  to  preach  at  Pet- 
worth,  in  Sussex,  on  the  Monday,  at  Horsham  on  the  Tues- 
day, at  Margaret  street  chapel  on  the  Wednesday,  and  at 
Ditton  on  the  Thursday  evening;  but  before  I  could  reach 
Ditton  on  the  Wednesday  I  was  so  far  spent,  that  I  thought 
I  must  have  lain  down  on  the  road ;  yet  with  much  diffi- 
culty I  reached  home  ;  and  then  I  had  to  go  to  Lon- 
don. Finding  myself  wholly  unable  to  perform  all  his 
labor,  I  went  to  prayer,  and  besought  God  to  give  me 
more  strength,  less  work,  or  a  horse.  I  used  my  prayers 
as  gunners  use  their  swivels;  turning  them  every  way  as 
the  various  cases  required.  I  then  hired  a  horse  to  ride  to 
town ;  and,  when  I  came  there,  went  to  put  him  up  at  Mr. 
Jackson's  livery-stables,  near  the  chapel,  in  Margaret  street; 
but  the  ostler  told  me  they  had  not  room  to  take  him  in. 
I  asked  if  his  master  was  in  the  yard.  He  said,  yes.  I  de- 
sired to  see  him ;  and  he  told  me  he  could  not  take  the 
horse  in.  I  was  then  going  out  of  the  yard,  when  he  step- 
ped after  me,  and  asked  if  I  was  the  person  that  preached 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  ()'.» 

at  Margaret  street  chapel.  I  told  him  I  was.  He  burst 
into  tears,  saying  he  would  send  one  of  his  own  horses  out 
and  take  mine  in  ;  and  in  for  mod  me  of  his  coining  one  night 
to  hear  me  out  of  curiosity,  because  he  had  been  informed 
that  I  had  been  a  coal-heaver.  He  then  told  me  that,  under 
the  first  sermon,  God  showed  him  the  insufficiency  of  his 
own  wretched  righteousness  —  the  carnality  and  hypocrisy 
of  his  religion  —  the  true  state  of  his  soul  —  and  the  neces- 
sity of  the  spirit  and  grace  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  to  change 
his  heart  if  ever  he  was  saved  ;  and  blessed  God  for  sending 
me  there.  This  was  good  news  to  me.  He  also  said  that 
some  of  my  friends  had  been  gathering  money  to  buy  me  a 
horse,  and  that  he  gave  something  towards  him.  Directly 
after  I  found  the  horse  was  bought  and  paid  for ;  and  one 
person  gave  me  a  guinea  to  buy  a  bridle,  another  gave  me 
two  whips,  a  third  gave  me  some  things  necessary  for  the 
stable,  another  trusted  me  for  a  saddle  —  and  here  was  a 
full  answer  to  my  prayer.  So  I  mounted  my  horse  and  rode 
home ;  and  he  turned  out  as  good  an  animal  as  ever  was 
rode.  I  believe  this  horse  was  the  gift  of  God,  because  he 
tells  me  in  his  word  that  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  are  his, 
and  so  are  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills.  I  have  often 
thought  that,  if  my  horse  could  have  spoken,  he  would  have 
had  more  to  say  than  Balaam's  ass ;  as  he  might  have  said, 
"  I  am  an  answer  to  my  master's  prayers  —  I  live  by  my 
master's  faith,  travel  with  mysteries,  and  suffer  persecu- 
tion, but  I  do  not  know  for  what :"  for  many  a  stone  has 
been  thrown  at  him. 

On  my  road  home,  while  meditating  on  the  manifold  bles- 
sings I  had  received  from  God,  both  in  a  way  of  grace  and 
providence,  how  unworthy  I  was  of  them,  and  how  unthank- 
ful I  had  been  for  them,  I  told  God  that  I  had  more  work 
for  my  faith  now  than  heretofore ;  for  the  horse  would  cost 
10 


70     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

half  as  much  to  keep  him  as  my  whole  family.  In  answer 
to  which  this  scripture  came  to  my  mind  with  power  and 
comfort,  "  Dwell  in  the  land  and  do  good,  and  verily  thou 
shalt  be  fed."  This  was  a  bank  note  put  into  the  hand  of 
my  faith ;  which,  when  I  got  poor,  I  pleaded  before  God ; 
and  he  answered  it.  So  that  I  lived  and  cleared  my  way 
just  as  well  when  I  had  my  horse  to  keep  as  I  did  before  ; 
for  I  could  not  then  get  any  thing  either  to  eat,  drink,  wear, 
or  use,  without  begging  it  of  God.  Sometimes  I  found 
much  murmuring  in  my  heart  against  being  held  in  so  tight 
a  rein ;  for  which  I  was  sure  to  suffer  afterwards.  So  I 
found,  by  daily  experience,  that  I  could  not  add  one  cubit 
to  God's  stature,  no,  not  even  in  the  least  thing ;  therefore 
it  was  in  vain  for  me  to  take  thought  for  the  rest. 

Having  now  had  my  horse  for  some  time,  and  riding  a 
great  deal  every  week,  I  soon  wore  my  breeches  out,  as  they 
were  not  fit  to  ride  in.  I  hope  the  reader  will  excuse  my 
mentioning  the  word  breeches,  which  I  should  have  avoided, 
had  not  this  passage  of  scripture  obtruded  into  my  rnind, 
just  as  I  had  resolved  in  my  own  thoughts  not  to  mention 
this  kind  providence  of  God.  "  And  thou  shalt  make  them 
linen  breeches  to  cover  their  nakedness  ;  from  the  loins 
even  unto  the  thighs  shall  they  reach.  And  they  shall  be 
upon  Aaron  and  upon  his  sons  when  they  come  into  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  or  when  they  come  near  un- 
to the  altar  to  minister  in  the  holy  place ;  that  they  bear  not 
iniquity  and  die.  It  shall  be  a  statute  forever  unto  him  and 
his  seed  after  him."  Exod.  xxviii.  42,  43.  By  which,  and 
three  others,  (namely,  Ezek.  xliv.  18;  Lev.  vi.  10;  and  Lev. 
xvi.  4,)  I  saw  that  it  was  no  crime  to  mention  the  word 
breeches,  nor  the  way  in  which  God  sent  them  to  me ;  Aaron 
and  his  sons  being  clothed  entirely  by  Providence ;  and  as 
God  himself  condescended  to  give  orders  what  they  should 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  71 

be  made  of,  and  how  they  should  be  cut.  And  I  believe 
the  same  God  ordered  mine,  as  I  trust  it  will  appear  in  the 
following  history. 

The  scripture  tells  us  to  call  no  man  master,  for  one  is 
our  master,  even  Christ.  I  therefore  told  my  most  bounti- 
ful and  ever-adored  Master  what  I  wanted ;  and  he,  who 
stripped  Adam  and  Eve  of  their  fig-leaved  aprons,  and  made 
coats  of  skin  and  clothed  them ;  and  who  clothes  the  grass 
of  the  field,  which  to-day  is  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the 
oven ;  must  clothe  us,  or  we  shall  soon  go  naked  ;  and 
so  Israel  found  it,  when  God  took  away  his  wool  and  his 
flax,  which  he  gave  to  cover  their  nakedness,  and  which 
they  prepared  for  Baal ;  for  which  iniquity  was  their  skirts 
discovered,  and  their  heels  made  bare.  Jer.  xiii.  22. 

I  often  made  very  free  in  my  prayers  with  my  invaluable 
Master  for  this  favor  ;  but  he  still  kept  me  so  amazingly 
poor  that  I  could  not  get  them  at  any  rate.  At  last  I  was 
determined  to  go  to  a  friend  of  mine  at  Kingston,  who  is  of 
that  branch  of  business,  to  bespeak  a  pair;  and  to  get  him 
to  trust  me  until  my  Master  sent  me  money  to  pay  him.  I 
was  that  day  going  to  London,  fully  determined  to  bespeak 
them  as  I  rode  through  the  town.  However,  when  I  passed  the 
shop,  I  forgot  it ;  but  when  I  came  to  London  I  called  on  Mr. 
Croucher,  a  shoemaker  in  Shepherd's  Market,  who  told  me 
a  parcel  was  left  there  for  me,  but  what  it  was  he  knew  not. 
I  opened  it,  and  behold  there  was  a  pair  of  leather  breeches 
with  a  note  in  them !  the  substance  of  which  was,  to  the 
best  of  my  remembrance,  as  follows  : 

"  SIR, 

"  I  have  sent  you  a  pair  of  breeches,  and  hope  they  will 
fit.  I  beg  your  acceptance  of  them  ;  and,  if  they  want  any 
alteration,  leave  in  a  note  what  the  alteration  is,  and  I  will 
call  in  a  few  days  and  alter  them.  I.  S." 


72     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

I  tried  them  on,  and  they  fitted  as  well  as  if  I  had  been 
measured  for  them — at  which  I  was  amazed,  having  never 
been  measured  by  any  leather  breeches  maker  in  London. 
I  wrote  an  answer  to  the  note  to  this  effect : 

"  SIR, 

"  I  received  your  present,  and  thank  you  for  it.  I  was 
going  to  order  a  pair  of  leather  breeches  to  be  made,  because 
I  did  not  know  till  now  that  my  Master  had  bespoke  them  of 
you.  They  fit  very  well,  which  fully  convinces  me,  that  the 
same  God,  who  moved  thy  heart  to  give,  guided  thy  hand  to 
cut ;  because  he  perfectly  knows  my  size,  having  clothed 
me  in  a  miraculous  manner  for  near  five  years.  When  you 
are  in  trouble,  Sir,  I  hope  you  will  tell  my  Master  of  this, 
and  what  you  have  done  for  me,  and  he  will  repay  you  with 
honor." 

This  is  as  near  as  I  am  able  to  relate  it,  and  I  added, 

"  I  cannot  make  out  /.  S.  unless  I  put  /  for  Israelite 
indeed,  and  S.  for  Sincerity ;  because  you  did  not  "  sound  a 
trumpet  before  you,  as  the  hypocrites  do." 

About  that  time  twelve-month  I  got  another  pair  of 
breeches  in  the  same  extraordinary  manner,  without  my  ev- 
er being  measured  for  them.  But  perhaps  my  reader  may 
blame  me  for  this  relation  ;  and  think  that,  as  the  good  man 
gave  his  alms  entirely  in  secret,  it  ought  not  to  be  published 
to  the  world.  To  which  I  answer  —  Our  blessed  Saviour, 
when  he  was  on  earth,  spake  his  parables  openly  ;  but  when 
in  private,  he  communicated  to  his  disciples  all  the  rich 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  that  lay  couched  in 
them.  Thus  Christ  gave  his  spiritual  alms  in  secret ;  yet 
he  commanded  them  to  proclaim  the  riches  of  his  grace 
upon  the  house-tops.  It  is  true,  he  charged  his  patients 
when  he  healed  them  not  to  tell  any  man  what  he  had  done ; 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  73 

to  show  them  that  ho  sought  not  the  applause  of  man,  but 
the  honor  of  God,  while  he  remained  a  bond-servant  under 
the  law,  and  in  the  state  of  humiliation  ;  yet,  after  his  death, 
they  were  to  proclaim  the  whole  of  it  to  all  the  world.  And 
all  that  Christ  healed  by  the  disciples  were  allowed  to  pro- 
claim it;  and  sometimes  were  presented  before  the  councils 
as  witnesses  of  his  power.  And  though  our  alms  are  to  be 
in  secret,  and  we  are  commanded  to  say  we  are  unprofitable 
servants  ;  yet  the  Redeemer  who  graciously  condescends  to 
receive  and  accept  the  fruits  of  our  faith,  will  proclaim  them 
one  day  before  all  the  offspring  of  Adam.  "I  was  an  hun- 
gered, and  ye  gave  me  meat;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in ;  naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me ;  sick  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me."  And 
being  stript  of  all  Arminianism,  they  said,  "  Lord,  when 
saw  we  thee  an  hungered,"  &c.  &,c.  "  Forasmuch  as  ye 
have  done  it  unto  one  of  these  little  ones,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me." 

These  things  plainly  show  us  That  our  alms  ought  to  be 
given  in  secret,  and  that  the  giver  ought  to  be  silent  about 
it ;  but  the  receiver  ought  not  to  be  mute,  but  proclaim  it 
to  the  honor  of  God,  who  opens  the  heart ;  and  to  the  praise 
of  his  brother,  who  has  done  well  through  grace.  Thus 
Paul  and  John,  in  their  epistles,commend  many  who  abound- 
ed in  the  grace  of  liberality. 

As  I  was  one  frosty  night  going  to  Richmond  to  preach, 
when  there  was  much  snow  on  the  ground,  I  met  a  poor 
cripple  in  a  very  deplorable  condition.  He  solicited  alms 
of  me,  and  I  refused  him,  because  I  had  but  one  shilling  in 
all  the  world,  and  did  not  choose  to  part  with  that ;  however, 
I  found  myself  greatly  distressed  because  I  did  not  give  it 
to  him,  he  appeared  in  such  a  miserable  condition.  I 
thought,  perhaps,  in  such  a  severe  night  as  that  was,  he 


74     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

might  perish  for  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  When  I 
came  to  Richmond  I  told  a  friend  of  it,  and  said  I  thought 
him  to  be  in  a  dreadful  situation,  because  I  was  so  much 
distressed  about  refusing  to  relieve  him;  declaring  that  if  I 
met  him  again,  I  would  give  it  to  him,  if  I  never  had 
another  shilling  of  my  own.  The  next  night,  as  I  was  go- 
ing to  preach  at  a  village  adjacent,  I  met  the  same  poor 
object,  and  had  got  the  same  shilling  in  my  pocket,  and  no 
more.  The  poor  creature  passed  me,  but  asked  nothing  of 
me ;  however,  I  turned  back  and  gave  him  the  shilling. 
The  poor  man  received  it  with  great  joy  and  thankfulness, 
and  told  me  a  deal  of  his  sufferings,  which  fully  convinced 
me  he  was  in  great  want ;  and  this  blessed  passage  of  scrip- 
ture came  to  my  mind  :  "  He  that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor, 
lendeth  to  the  Lord ;  and  that  which  he  hath  given  will  he 
pay  him  again."  Prov.  xix.  17.  I  went  that  night  and  de- 
livered my  discourse,  and  when  I  had  done  a  woman  took 
me  aside  into  a  room,  and  put  three  half-crown  pieces  into 
my  hand,  saying,  "  I  was  commanded  to  give  you  that." 
I  asked  her  "By  whom?"  She  replied,  "By  a  gentle- 
man ;  but  you  are  not  to  know  his  name."  Thus  I  received 
my  shilling  again,  with  very  considerable  interest ;  and  thus 
also  the  fulfilment  of  the  word  took  place.  "  There  is  that 
scattereth  and  yet  increaseth  ;  and  there  is  that  withholdeth 
more  than  is  meet,  and  it  tendeth  to  penury."  Prov.  xi.  24. 
One  providence  I  had  almost  forgot.  We  were  at  that 
time  very  badly  off  for  beds  and  bedding ;  my  children  were 
no  better  provided  than  the  Saviour  when  he  laid  in  a 
manger,  for  they  slept  upon  bags  of  hay ;  but  prayer  at  a 
long  run  brought  in  these  things  also.  Some  of  my  most 
intimate  acquaintances  knew  how  I  was  tried  in  this  respect, 
though  I  never  made  it  known  to  any  body  who  was  capable 
of  helping  me  out  of  my  trouble.  But  one  night,  after  I 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  75 

had  done  preaching  at  Richmond,  a  person  invited  me  home 
to  his  house,  and  showed  me  a  large  bundle  tied  up,  saying 
it  was  for  me.  I  asked  who  the  donor  was;  he  replied, 
"  You  are  not  to  know  that."  I  carried  it  home,  when  lo, 
it  proved  to  be  bedding,  and  the  very  thing  I  stood  so  much 
in  need  of!  Thus  the  blessed  Saviour  fulfils  his  gracious 
promise  which  he  made  to  his  servants,  "  Whatsoever  ye 
ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glo- 
rified in  the  Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name,  I 
will  do  it."  John  xiv.  13,  14. 

Some  time  after  this  I  took  gospel  courage,  and  asked 
my  Master  to  give  me  a  new  bed  ;  and  importuned  his  ever- 
blessed  and  most  excellent  Majesty  until  I  got  it.  Perceiv- 
ing that  the  Lord  approved  of  a  bold,  though  not  of  a 
presumptuous  beggar,  agreeable  to  his  word,  "  Let  us  come 
boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,"  &c.,  I  boldly  asked  him 
the  favor,  and  persevered  in  it,  until  I  was  one  day  informed 
by  a  ifriend  that  four  or  five  pious  people  were  coming  on 
such  a  day  from  London  to  visit  me.  Then  my  faith  told 
me  I  should  soon  have  the  bed.  Accordingly  they  came, 
and  we  had  some  comfortable  conversation  together.  To- 
wards evening  they  departed,  giving  me  four  guineas.  O  ! 
what  Christian  in  his  right  mind  would  murmur  and  com- 
plain at  his  poverty,  when,  with  a  watchful  eye,  he  sees 
such  liberal  supplies  poured  forth  from  the  inexhaustible 
stores  of  Providence!  Thus  God,  who  provided  a  comfor- 
table lodging  for  Elisha  the  prophet,  provided  me  "  a  bed, 
a  table,  a  stool,  and  a  candlestick."  2  Kings,  iv.  10. 

I  was  determined  to  keep  this  money  for  a  bed  ;  and 
therefore  went  to  a  good  man  in  London,  and  bespoke  one ; 
which  he  very  soon  sent  me,  with  a  rug  also,  and  a  pair  of 
very  good  blankets.  Soon  after  I  called  to  pay  him  for  it ; 
when  he  told  me  to  pay  his  clerk,  who  gave  me  a  receipt 


76  GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

for  the  same  ;  but  afterwards  the  gentleman  went  a  little 
way  with  me,  and  at  his  departure  gave  me  all  the  money 
back  again.  How  sweet  are  temporal  mercies,  when 
received  by  those  who  are  under  the  influence  of  grace ! 
when  they  are  seen  to  come  from  a  covenant  God  and 
Father,  in  answer  to  the  simple  prayer  of  faith  !  Surely  he 
that  "  will  observe  these  things,  even  he  shall  understand 
the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord."  Psalm  cvii.  43.  The 
promises  of  God  pleaded  in  humble  prayer,  and  promised 
mercies  received  in  answer  thereto,  always  come  so  as  to 
make  a  divine  impression,  being  sweetened  with  love  to  us; 
for  every  such  mercy  is  "  sactified  by  the  word  of  God  and 
prayer."  But  to  the  unbelieving  and  prayerless  there  is 
nothing  clean,  though  there  be  ever  so  much  stock  in  hand. 
"A  little  that  a  righteous  man  hath,  is  better  than  the  treas- 
ures of  many  wicked."  Psalm  xxxvi.  16. 

I  have  sometimes  been  proud  and  vain  enough  to  think 
that  my  habitation  and  temporal  mercies,  which  my  God 
has  sent  me,  attended  with  the  blessed  influences  of  com- 
forting grace,  have  been  as  much  consecrated  to  me  as  any 
cathedral  church  or  church-yard  in  Europe,  which  had  even 
the  consecration  of  a  bishop  to  make  it  sacred  :  being  per- 
suaded that  it  is  the  presence  of  God,  and  that  only,  which 
consecrates  a  house  of  prayer  ;  that  it  is  God's  blessing  the 
habitation  of  the  just  with  his  presence  that  makes  their 
tents  holy  ;  and  that  on  whatever  spot  God  is  pleased  to 
visit  a  soul  with  his  powerful  and  free  salvation,  and  to  man- 
ifest himself  a  sin-pardoning  God,  through  Christ,  by  his 
most  Holy  Spirit,  such  spots  of  ground,  and  such  only,  can 
with  propriety  be  called  holy  ground.  And  1  believe  it 
would  puzzle  even  the  learned  themselves  to  show  any 
other  consecration  than  this  that  is  good  for  any  thing. 

As  for  the  consecration  of  church-yards,  which  some  are 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  77 

so  fond  of  laying  their  bodies  in,  I  have  no  desire  after 
them,  as  I  believe  all  the  corpses  that  lie  there  were  sown 
in  weakness,  sown  in  dishonor,  and  sown  in  corruption  ; 
and  living  consecration  doth  not  dwell  with  dead  men's 
bones  and  all  uncleanness,  but  with  living  souls,  who  are 
consecrated  kings,  priests,  and  Nazarites,  to  God  for  ever- 
more. 

I  hope  my  reader  will  excuse  my  running  so  far  out  of 
the  way  after  consecration ;  but  indeed  I  am  not  the  first 
man  that  mock  consecration  has  led  astray  :  however,  I 
should  not  have  meddled  with  it  had  it  not  intruded  itself 
into  my  thoughts ;  wherefore,  rather  than  displease  my 
reader,  I  will  resume  my  subject. 

Another  year  having  rolled  over  my  head,  I  began  to  look 
about  for  my  livery ;  for  I  always  took  care  to  let  my  most 
propitious  Master  know  when  my  year  was  out.  And 
indeed  I  wanted  it  bad  enough,  for  riding  on  horseback 
soiled  my  clothes  much  more  than  walking  did.  However, 
my  Lord  exercised  my  faith  and  patience  for  six  weeks 
together  about  this  livery ;  and  I  looked  all  manner  of  ways 
for  it ;  but  every  door  seemed  shut  up ;  and  I  could  not 
see  from  what  quarter  it  was  to  come.  (You  know,  reader, 
we  are  all  very  fond  of  running  before  God ;  but  he  takes 
his  own  pace.)  At  length  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Byrch- 
more  that  a  gentleman  in  Wells  street  wanted  to  see  me. 
Accordingly  I  went ;  and  was  admitted  into  the  parlor  to 
the  gentleman  and  his  spouse.  He  wept,  and  begged  I 
would  not  be  angry  at  what  he  was  going  to  relate  ;  which 
was,  that  he  had  for  some  time  desired  to  make  me  a  pres- 
ent of  a  suit  of  clothes,  but  was  afraid  that  I  should  be 
offended  at  his  offer,  and  refuse  it.  "  Ah ! "  says  Envy, 
"there  need  be  no  fear  of  that,  for  Methodist  parsons  are 
all  for  what  they  can  get."  It  is  true ;  for  we  are  com- 


78     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

manded  to  "  covet  earnestly  the  best  things ;  "  and  so  we 
do,  and  expect  a  double  reward  of  the  Lord  —  one  in  this 
world,  the  other  in  the  next.  And  this  is  no  more  than  our 
Master  has  promised  to  give  us ;  for  we  are  to  "  receive 
an  hundred  fold  in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to  come, 
life  everlasting."  I  told  the  good  man  that  I  had  been  for 
some  time  expecting  a  suit  of  clothes,  but  knew  not  how  to 
procure  them.  They  both  wept  for  joy  upon  my  accepting 
them,  and  I  wept  for  joy  that  they  gave  them  so  freely. 
As  they  had  been  fearful  that  I  should  be  offended  at  their 
offer,  anc^not  receive  them  ;  so  I  had  been  much  exercised 
in  my  mind,  lest  my  Master  would  not  give  them  to  me,  as 
he  usually  had  done.  However,  our  minds  were  now  eased 
of  our  fears,  on  both  sides,  and  I  was  clothed  ;  and  it  was 
the  best  suit  that  I  ever  had.  This  is  the  fifth  livery  that 
my  trembling  hand  of  faith  put  on  my  back,  and  every  one 
came  from  a  different  quarter.  The  name  of  the  good  man 
who  gave  me  this  suit  is  Randall,  in  Wells  street,  Oxford 
market.  I  mention  his  name  to  show  that  I  cannot  keep 
such  secrets,  because  he  strictly  charged  me  not  to  let  it  be 
known.  However,  I  have  imitated  the  disciples  of  old  in 
this,  for  it  is  said  of  them  that  "the  more  Christ  charged 
them  to  keep  silence,  the  more  they  spread  it  abroad." 
And  indeed  it  must  be  so,  or  else  the  Lord  would  be 
deprived  of  the  honor  that  is  due  to  his  holy  name.  Though 
by  the  Saviour's  charge  it  plainly  appeared  that  he  sought 
not  the  applause  of  men,  yet  it  is  the  indispensable  duty  of 
every  Christian  to  applaud  the  Saviour.  With  my  reader's 
permission,  I  will  show  my  opinion  why  he  charged  them  to 
keep  his  miracles  concealed.  I  believe  one  reason  was, 
because  those  whom  he  healed  were  in  general  very  igno- 
rant of  his  deity  ;  yea,  and  even  his  disciples  themselves,  at 
that  time,  had  but  very  gross,  low,  and  shallow  thoughts 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAI 

and  views  of  his  being  the  omnipotent  'and  "self-existent 
Jehovah.  We  often  hear  them  calling  him  by  the  name  of 
his  manhood  only :  as  when  he  rebuked  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  they  said,  "  What  manner  of  man  is  this  that  even  the 
winds  and  the  sea  obey  him  ?  "  And  as  two  of  them  were 
going  to  Emmaus,  and  the  Saviour  drew  near  to  them, 
asking  them  the  reason  of  their  being  sad,  they  said,  "Art 
thou  a  stranger  in  Jerusalem,  and  knowest  not  these 
things?"  When  he  said,  "  What  things?  "  they  replied, 
"  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  a  man  mighty  in  words 
and  deeds  before  God  and  all  the  people,"  &/c.  mentioning 
his  manhood  only.  And  Martha  too,  at  her  brother's  grave, 
had  her  gross  thoughts  lifted  up  no  higher,  when  she  said, 
"  But  even  now,  whatsoever  thou  wilt  ask  of  God,  God  will 
give  it  thee."  The  Saviour's  answer  was,  "  I  am  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life  ;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  (mark,  in  me) 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  he  that  liveth 
and  believeth  shall  never  die.  Dost  thou  believe  this  ?  " 
"  Thou  believest  that  I  am  prevalent  with  God  in  prayer, 
and  that  God  will  give  me  what  I  ask  of  him.  If  thy  faith, 
Martha,  centres  in  me,  as  one  who  is  only  prevalent  with 
God  in  prayer,  thou  makest  me  no  more  than  Noah,  Daniel, 
and  Job  were.  But  dost  thou  believe  that  I  am  the  resur- 
rection itself,  and  that  eternal  life  which  lives  in  all  the 
just,  and  which  all  the  just  live  in?  Dost  thou  believe 
this?" 

It  is  to  be  observed  that,  if  any  came  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  with  their  carnal  thoughts  hovering  altogether  about 
his  manhood,  they  generally  met  with  a  sharp  reproof. 
"  Good  master,  what  good  thing  shall  I  do?"  said  one. 
"  Why  callest  thou  me  good  ?  "  said  the  Saviour  ;  "  there  is 
none  good  but  one,  that  is  God."  But,  if  any  approached 
him  as  the  Omnipotent  Jehovah,  the  real  object  of  faith  and 


80      GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

worship,  they  were  sure  to  meet  with  his  approbation. 
Thus  the  tenth  leper  who  was  healed,  worshipped  him  as 
the  real  object  of  faith  ;  and  his  faith  was  approved,  and 
peace  added  to  it.  "  Go  thy  way,"  said  Christ,  "  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole  ;  go  in  peace."  And  when  Thomas 
cried  out,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God  !  "  "  Ay,  Thomas," 
said  the  Saviour,  "  ay."  And  again,  "  You  called  me 
Lord  and  Master  ;  and  ye  say  well,  for  so  I  am."  Thus  it 
appears  that  our  dear  Lord  often  lifted  their  thoughts  up  to 
his  godhead,  when  (like  the  birds  upon  Abraham's  sacri- 
fice) they  were  settling  upon  his  flesh  and  blood  only, 
as  the  Arians  in  our  days  do ;  just  like  a  shoal  of  eagles, 
always  working  upon  the  carcass,  but  cannot  see  the  altar 
that  sanctified  the  sacrifice.  Job's  eagle  did  not  so  ;  she 
mounted  up  when  God  commanded  her,  and  made  her  nest 
on  high.  She  dwelt  and  abode  upon  the  rock,  not  upon  the 
sand  ;  yea,  she  sat  upon  the  crag  of  the  Rock,  even  the  arm 
of  Omnipotence,  that  strong  place,  from  thenc'e  she  sought 
the  prey  ;  that  is,  she  fed  upon  Christ  crucified  by  faith. 
And  her  eyes  beheld  afar  off;  that  is,  in  hope  she  looked  at 
Christ  glorified,  now  in  the  highest  heavens  ;  and  there  she 
saw  the  king  in  his  beauty,  in  that  land  which  is  very  far 
off.  Isa.  xxxiii.  17.  "  Her  young  ones  also  suck  up 
blood;  "  they  live  by  faith  on  the  atonement ;  "  and  where 
the  slain  are,  there  is  she ;  "  agreeable  to  the  Saviour's 
comment  on  these  words,  "  Where  the  carcass  is,  there  will 
the  eagles  be  gathered  together."  Matt.  xxiv.  28.  Job 
xxxix.  27  —  30. 

But  to  return  to  my  subject.  I  had  an  invitation  to  go 
and  preach  at  Horsham,  in  Sussex,  one  Monday  evening. 
On  the  preceding  Lord's  day  I  preached  at  Wooking,  in 
Surrey,  and  had  to  ride  from  thence  to  Horsham  on  the 
Monday.  Then  I  set  out  to  go  across  the  country  :  (it  was 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  81 

in  the  winter  season  ;)  and  just  as  I  had  got  out  of  Guild- 
ford  town  it  began  to  rain,  and  continued  in  a  violent  man- 
ner all  the  time  I  was  on  the  road.  It  so  happened  that  I 
had  but  one  shilling  in  my  pocket,  which  would  only  pro- 
cure a  feed  of  corn  for  my  horse,  and  pay  the  turnpikes. 
My  surtout,  which  was  a  very  thin  Bath  coat,  was  of  very 
little  use,  being  almost  worn  out ;  wherefore  I  was  much 
exposed  to  this  violent  storm  of  rain  ;  and  I  think  I  never 
had  been  so  wet  before.  I  was  obliged  to  strip,  and  even 
to  have  my  shirt  washed  before  I  could  preach.  I  then 
secretly  wished  for  a  large  horseman's  coat,  being  obliged 
to  ride  in  all  weathers :  but,  as  I  had  been  begging  so  many 
things  of  my  most  indulgent  Master,  I  thought  by  my  con- 
tinual coming  I  should  weary  him ;  not  considering  that 
God  commands  us  to  open  our  mouths  wide  that  he  may 
fill  them ;  which  I  believe  means  that  our  desires  should  be 
as  extensive  at  a  throne  of  grace  as  God's  pregnant  prom- 
ises, which  he  made  us  in  the  dear  Son  of  his  love.  Christ 
is  the  heir  of  all  things,  and  the  Christian  is  an  heir  of 
promise ;  therefore  he  has  a  right  to  ask  for  those  things 
that  will  defray  his  expenses  through  this  world  with  that 
honor  which  becomes  a  saint,  and  not  a  miser. 

My  mock-modesty  would  not  allow  me  to  ask  God  for  a 
great  coat ;  though  I  earnestly  desired  it,  and  murmured  at 
God's  providence  because  I  was  kept  so  poor  that  I  could 
not  purchase  one.  However,  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  my 
unbelief,  nor  yet  in  the  power  of  my  sinful  murmuring,  to 
close  the  bountiful  hand  of  my  Maker  ;  for,  when  I  came 
to  London  on  the  Wednesday  following,  and  had  preached 
at  Margaret  Street  Chapel  in  the  evening,  a  person 
approached  me  just  as  I  came  out  of  the  chapel,  saying,  "  I 
want  to  speak  to  you  ; "  which  was  to  inform  me  that  he 
intended,  with  the  assistance  of  some  more  friends,  to  make 
11 


82  GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OPTHE     POOR, 

me  a  present  of  a  horseman's  coat;  wherefore  he  desired 
me  to  be  measured  for  it ;  accordingly  I  was,  and  that  gen- 
tleman with  a  few  others  honorably  paid  for  it.  Surely  to 
deny  the  overruling  providence  of  God  is  to  deny  the  whole 
journal  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  all  the  wondrous  works 
of  God  which  daily  appeared  on  the?r  behalf  for  forty  years 
together.  But  there  are  some  who  consider  not  "  the  oper- 
ation of  God's  hands  ;  therefore  he  shall  destroy  them,  and 
not  build  them  up."  Psalms  xxviii.  5. 

Thus  my  mock-modesty  and  unbelief  could  not  make  the 
promise  of  God  of  none  effect ;  and  God  forbid  it  ever 
'should.  Zechariah  desired  a  sign  when  the  angel  told  him 
that  his  prayer  was  heard,  and  a  son  was,  to  be  given :  and 
God  gave  him  an  awful  sign,  but  his  unbelief  did  not  hinder 
the  birth  of  John.  After  receiving  this  gift  from  God  this 
scripture  came  sweet  to  my  soul.  "  I  know  both  how  to  be 
abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound :  every  where,  and  in 
in  all  things,  I  am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hun- 
gry, both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need."  Phil.  iv.  12.  And 
indeed  I  found  by  all  these  trials  that  I  also  was  instructed ; 
for  I  learned  one  blessed  doctrine  by  this  providence ;  which 
I  never  saw  clearly  before ;  namely,  the  power  of  internal 
or  mental  prayer  ascending  so  prevalently  to  God, .under  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  even  when  the  understanding  and 
the  lips  were  both  unfruitful.  And  the  application  of  the 
following  texts  gave  me  sweet  views  of  it :  "  Lord,  thou  hast 
heard  the  desire  of  the  humble ;  thou  wilt  prepare  their 
heart,  thou  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to  hear."  Psalm  x.  17. 
"  Delight  thyself  also  in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give  thee 
the  desire  of  thine  heart."  "  Commit  thy  ways  unto  the 
Lord ;  trust  also  in  him,  and  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass." 
Psalm  xxxvii.  4,  5.  These  scriptures  led  me  to  consider, 
and  apply  with  comfort  to  my  own  soul,  the  many  precious 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FA1TU.  83 

promises  which  God  has  made  in  Christ  Jesus  to  the  spiritual 
anxiety  of  a  renewed  soul  at  the  throne  of  grace,  even  when 
the  sound  of  the  voice,  the  sound  of  the  organ,  and  that 
confused  gabbling  of  monkish  mimicry,  called  chanting  of 
prayers,  are  left  quite  out  of  the  promise;  as  will  appear  in 
the  following  passages,  which  I  beseech  my  reader  to  con- 
sider.—  "The  desire  of  the  righteous  shall  be  granted." 
Prov.  x.  24. —  "  For  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  fill- 
eth  the  hungry  soul  with  goodness."  Psal.  cvii.  9.  —  "  For 
the  oppression  of  the  poor,  for  the  sighing  of  the  needy,  now 
will  I  arise,  saith  the  Lord ;  I  will  set  him  in  safety  from 
him  that  puffeth  at  him."  —  "  For  he  looked  down  from  the 
height  of  his  sanctuary ;  from  heaven  did  the  Lord  behold 
the  earth,  to  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoner;  (mark  that, 
to  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoner,)  to  loose  those  that  are 
appointed  to  death."  Psal.  cii.  19,  20.  Thus  the  Holy 
Ghost  makes  "  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to  the 
will  of  God ;  and  God,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  knoweth 
what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit."  Rom.  viii.  27. 

Hence  observe,  reader,  that  the  promise  is  made  to  a 
spiritual  hunger  —  a  spiritual  thirst  —  an  holy  longing  —  a 
deep  heart-felt  sigh —  an  earnest  desire  —  and  groaning  — 
from  a  burdened  mind.  All  these  are  petitions  put  up  by 
the  blessed  Spirit  of  supplication  alone,  (without  the  use  of 
the  lips,)  who  "  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings 
that  cannot  be  uttered."  These  were  the  prayers  which 
our  blessed  Saviour  put  up  at  Lazarus's  grave,  "  when  he 
groaned  in  the  spirit,  and  was  troubled."  "  Jesus  therefore 
again  groaned"  in  spirit.  John  xi.  33,  33.  Again,  "  And 
Jesus  looking  up  to  heaven,  sighed,  and  saith  unto  him, 
Ephphatha  ;  that  is,  Be  opened.  And  straightway  his  ears 
were  opened,  and  the  string  of  his  tongue  was  loosed,  and 
he  spake  plain."  Mark  vii.  34,  35.  Thus  it  appears  that 


84          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

agonies,  tears,  groans,  and  sighs,  were  chiefly  the  all-pre- 
vailing petitions  put  up  by  our  dear  Redeemer  when  in  a 
state  of  humiliation.  Christian,  learn  thou  of  him  who  is 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  thou  shalt  find  rest  for  thy  soul. 

It  is  not  an  eloquent  voice,  elegant  speech,  lofty  compli- 
ments, swelling  words,  much  speaking,  long  prayers,  nor 
yet  the  numberless  repetitions  of  "  We  beseech  thee  to  hear 
us,  good  Lord,"  that  shall  ever  prevail  with  God  :  it  is  "  not 
every  one  that  saith,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
dom." The  foolish  virgins  were  too  late  with,  Lord,  Lord. 
God  will  accept  of  no  sacrifice  but  that  which*  comes  in  the 
hallowed  flame  of  his  own  kindling,  and  perfumed  with  the 
sweet-smelling  savor  of  that  blessed,  ever-availing,  and  ever- 
living  sacrifice  of  his  dear  Son.  The  prayers  of  that  man 
who  calls  himself  a  Christian,  or  a  follower  of  the  Saviour, 
but  is  an  utter  stranger  to  mental  prayer,  have  never  yet 
reached  the  ears  of  God  :  for  God  is  a  spirit,  and  will  ac- 
cept of  nothing  short  of  spiritual  prayer.  It  was  the  groan- 
ings  of  the  children  of  Israel  that  went  up  before  God,  and 
brought  him  down  to  deliver  them,  as  declared  by  God  him- 
self to  Moses  at  Horeb.  Exo.  ii.  24.  Let  this  encourage 
thee,  reader,  if  thou  art  one  who  cannot  find  words  to  ex- 
press thyself  at  the  throne  of  Grace.  If  thou  canst  pour  out 
thy  soul  before  the  Lord,  show  him  thy  trouble,  and  leave 
thy  burden  with  him  —  these  are  precious  prayers;  and,  if 
thou  comest  from  thy  knees  with  thy  mind  eased,  thy  faith 
strengthened,  thy  hope  encouraged,  thy  bowels  refreshed, 
and  with  confidence  that  God  hath  heard  thy  prayer  for  his 
dear  Son's  sake,  oh  !  these  are  sweet  answers  from  God. 
Be  thankful,  and  pray  on.  Such  was  the  answer  that  Han- 
nah got  when  she  went  from  Shiloh  with  her  countenance 
no  more  sad. 

During  the  space  of  three  years  I  secretly  wished  in  my 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  85 

soul  that  God  would  favor  me  with  a  chapel  of  my  own,  be- 
ing sick  of  the  errors  that  were  perpetually  broached  by 
some  one  or  other  in  Margaret  street  chapel,  where  I  then 
preached.  But,  though  I  so  much  desired  this,  yet  I  could 
not  ask  God  for  such  a  favor,  thinking  it  was  not  to  be 
brought  about  by  one  so  very  mean,  low,  and  poor,  as  my- 
self. However,  God  sent  a  person,  unknown  to  me,  to  look 
at  a  certain  spot,  who  afterward  took  me  to  look  at  it ;  but  I 
trembled  at  the  very  thought  of  such  an  immense  undertak- 
ing. Then  God  stirred  up  a  wise  man  to  offer  to  build  a 
chapel,  and  to  manage  the  whole  work  without  fee  or  re- 
ward. God  drew  the  pattern  on  his  imagination  while  he 
was  hearing  me  preach  a  sermon.  I  then  took  the  ground ; 
this  person  executed  the  plan  ;  and  the  chapel  sprung  up 
like  a  mushroom.  As  soon  as  it  was  finished  this  precious 
scripture  came  sweet  to  my  soul,  "  He  will  fulfil  the  desire 
of  them  that  fear  him."  Psal.  cxlv.  19.  Thus  the  chapel 
appeared  as  an  answer  to  the  earnest  desire  which  God  had 
kindled  in  my  heart ;  and  which  he  intended  to  fulfil  in  his 
own  good  time,  to  the  honor  of  his  own  great  name,  the 
good  of  many  souls,  and  to  the  encouragement  of  my  poor, 
weak,  tottering  faith.  It  is  confessed  in  the  church  of 
England  service,  that  "  all  holy  desires,  all  good  counsels, 
and  just  works,  proceed  from  God  ; "  and  I  believe  they  do. 
Another  kind  providence  I  experienced  while  I  resided  at 
Thames  Ditton.  My  surtout  coat  had  got  very  thin  and 
bad,  and  the  weather  at  that  time  was  very  cold.  It  hap- 
pened that  I  was  invited  to  preach  at  a  little  place  near  Lon- 
don. As  I  went  thither  I  felt  the  cold  very  severely  ;  and 
as  soon  as  I  had  delivered  my  discourse,  I  desired  a  young 
man  to  fetch  my  old  great  coat  in  order  to  put  it  on  before 
I  went  out  of  the  warm  meeting-house.  When  he  came 
back,  lo,  he  brought  me  a  new  one  !  I  told  him  that  was  not 
12 


86     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

mine.  lie  said  it  was.  And  though  I  insisted  upon  it  that 
it  was  not,  he  persisted  in  saying  it  was.  So  I  put  it  on, 
and  it  fitted  me  very  well.  In  one  of  the  pockets  there  was 
a  letter,  which  informed  me  that  my  blessed  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter had  sent  it  to  me  to  wrap  my  poor  worthless  carcass  in 
during  that  very  severe  winter.  Oh  the  tender  care  of  our 
most  gracious  Lord  and  Master  !  Solomon  says,  "  The  favor 
of  a  king  is  as  a  cloud  of  the  latter  rain."  I  think  he  must 
mean  the  cloud  of  God's  divine  favor ;  which  blotted  out 
our  transgressions  as  a  cloud,  and  appears  as  a  cloud  by  day 
to  screen  us  from  the  storm  of  wrath :  and,  if  my  reader 
watches  the  bountiful  hand  of  God,  he  will  see  this  blessed 
cloud  daily  discharging  itself  in  the  genial  showers  of  grace 
and  providence  ;  as  it  is  written,  "  And  I  will  make  them, 
and  the  places  round  about  my  hill,  a  blessing ;  and  I  will 
cause  the  shower  to  come  down  in  his  season ;  there  shall 
be  showers  of  blessings."  Ezek.  xxxiv.  26. 

They  have  a  common  saying  in  the  Wild  of  Kent  when 
the  daughter  of  an  old  farmer  is  married.  If  it  be  inquired 
what  portion  the  old  man  gave,  the  answer  is,  "  He  gave 
not  much  money ;  but  the  old  people  are  always  sending 
them  something  —  there  is  always  something  sent  from  a' 
farm-house."  Then  the  observation  usually  is,  "  Ay,  hers 
is  a  hand-basket  portion,  which  is  generally  the  best ;  for 
there  is  no  end  to  that."  Even  so  our  everlasting  Father 
gives  to  his  poor  children  a  hand-basket  portion  —  a  basket 
being  that  which  we  generally  fetch  our  daily  provisions  in  : 
and  God  sometimes  puts  his  blessing  even  in  the  basket,  and 
then  it  seldom  comes  tyome  empty  :  as  it  is  written,  "  Bless- 
ed shall  be  thy  basket."  Deut.  xxviii.  5.  Our  blessed 
Saviour  eyed  this  promise  on  the  mount.  When  he  was 
going  to  feed  five  thousand  men.  besides  women  and  chil- 
dren, with  five  barley  loaves  and  two  small  fishes,  it  is  said,  he 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  87 

looked  up  to  heaven,  and  blessed  and  brake,  &c.  And  that 
blessing  was  enough;  for  they  were  all  filled,  and  there 
were  twelve,  baskets  full  of  fragments.  Thus  the  blessing 
appeared  in  the  basket ;  and  that  made  the  Saviour  so  fond 
of  the  fragments  as  to  give  this  strict  charge  to  his  disciples, 
"  Let  nothing  be  lost."  Thus,  too,  the  proverb  of  the  hand- 
basket  portion  appears  true  ;  and  our  blessed  Saviour  him- 
self lived  on  it  while  he  dwelt  below;  yea,  the  whole  Levit- 
ical  tribe  lived  on  the  hand-basket  portion  :  for  the  shew- 
bread,  that  was  set  hot  before  God  on  the  golden  table,  was 
brought  in  a  basket.  *  So  that  God  himself  has  highly  hon- 
ored the  basket. 

I  am  firmly  of  opinion  that  the  hand-basket  portion  is  the 
best,  both  for.  soul  and  body ;  because  it  keeps  us  to  prayer, 
exercises  our  faith,  engages  our  watchfulness,  and  excites 
to  gratitude.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  prodigal  sen  added 
much  to  his  fortune  when  he  desired  the  portion  of  goods 
that  fell  to  him;  that  is,  he  desired  to  be  an  Arminian,  to 
have  an  independent  stock  of  his  own,  and  to  be  left  to  im- 
prove it  by  himself;  wherefore  he  did  not  choose  to  live 
near  his  father,  lest  he  should  interfere ;  but  went  into  a  far 
country,  that  his  father  might  see  how  he  flourished  in  the 
world  when  once  he  became  independent.  But  self-will, 
free-agency,  self-sufficiency,  and  independency  of  God,  sel- 
dom gain  much  by  trading  ;  for  we  all  know  that  this  inde- 
pendent merchant  would  have  been  starved  and  damned 
too,  if  free-grace  had  not  undertook  to  feed  him,  and  to  save 
him.  Poor  soul !  I  warrant  you  he  flourished  away  at  first, 
but  he  soon  brought  himself  down  upon  a  level  with  the 
swine.  Free-agency,  with  her  boasted  dignity,  made  but  a 
poor  figure  while  she  sat  banqueting  at  the  hog-trough !  And 
one  would  .imagine  that,  if  any  thing  would  have  excluded 
boasting,  this  certainly  would.  He  could  not  boast  of  the 


88     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

entertainment,  because  it  was  nothing  but  husks ;  nor  could 
he  boast  much  of  company,  they  being  only  swine.  I  be- 
lieve the  prodigal  left  all  boasting  behind  when  he  forsook 
the  pig's  pound.  If  my  reader,  therefore,  is  an  unbeliever, 
and  has  got  a  stock  in  hand,  he  may  murmur  against  his 
portion,  and  view  it  as  a  snare  or  trap.  Indeed  it  is  a  trap 
to  many  who  set  their  hearts  upon  it.  This  was  the  case 
with  Israel  —  Their  table  "became  a  trap,  a  stumbling- 
block,  and  a  recompense  unto  them  ;  yea,  that  which  should 
have  been  for  their  welfare  became  a  trap."  But,  if  my 
reader  be  a  believer  in  a  dear  Redeemer,  his  stock  is  a 
blessing  while  he  is  thankful  to  God  for  it,  and  does  not 
place  his  affections  on  it :  and,  if  he  is  liberal  of  the  stock 
God  has  given  him,  his  liberality  daily  sanctifies  it —  "  Give 
alms,"  says  the  Saviour, "  of  such  things  as  ye  have,  and  behold 
all  things  are  clean  unto  you."  Paul  declares  that  the  lively 
faith  of  a  believing  husband  would  sanctify  an  unbelieving 
wife,  and  make  her  a  temporal  blessing.  The  first  sheaf 
under  the  law,  being  given  to  God,  sanctified  the  harvest; 
therefore  I  refer  my  reader,  if  he  be  one  that  has  a  stock  in 
hand,  to  God's  promised  blessing,  "  Blessed  shall  be  thy 
store."  Deut.  xxviii.  5. 

I  once  preached  on  the  Lord's  day  at  Wooking,  in  Sur- 
rey ;  and  the  week  before  that  time  I  and  my  family  had 
been  sorely  tried  for  want  of  the  common  necessaries  of  life. 
I  was  very  fond  of  feeding  my  little  ones  when  I  had  where- 
withal to  feed  them,  because  I  knew  how  much  I  had  suf- 
fered when  young  through  my  parents'  poverty.  That  week 
the  little  ones  had  lived  chiefly  on  bread,  which  grieved  me 
much,  as  the  appetite  of  young  growing  children  is  so  crav- 
ing after  food.  When  I  used  to  shut  the  cupboard  door, 
and  give  them  nothing  but  bread,  my  eldest  daughter  would 
look  me  in  the  face  with  much  earnestness  and  solemnity, 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  89 

and  ask  me  this  important  question,  "  Is  the  boo  all  boppee 
daddy?"  which  gibberish,  by  interpretation,  signified,  "Is 
the  butter  all  gone  father?"  She  would  at  such  times  lean 
her  head  on  one  shoulder,  look  me  full  in  the  face,  and  lay 
a  particular  emphasis  upon  the  particle  «//,  which  she  would 
draw  out  with  a  very  long  tone.  Then  she  would  use  some 
of  her  logic,  and  reason  the  point  with  me,  asking  me 
many  strange  questions ;  which  I  partly  understood,  as  they 
amounted  chiefly  to  the  inquiry  when  the  butter  would 
come,  or  whether  there  was  any  ground  to  hope  for  any : 
but  at  that  time  I  could  give  her  no  promise  as  a  ground  for 
her  hope,  every  door  being  apparently  shut. 

We  had  nt  that  season  but  little  fuel,  though  it  was  a  very 
severe  frost  and  the  snow  laid  on  the  ground.  As  I  was  .re- 
turning from  Wooking  on  the  Monday  morning,  before  I 
came  to  Cobham,  (having  left  Wooking  very  early  without 
breakfast,)  I  was  exceedingly  hungry  and  weary,  and  had 
but  little  to  expect  when  I  arrived  at  home  ;  for  I  knew  I  had 
nothing  but  bread,  and  perhaps  not  that.  When  I  came  on  the 
common  which  is  called  Fair  Mile,  lying  between  Cobham 
and  Esher,  I  fretted  and  wept  bitterly  at  my  hard  fate,  and 
yet  trembled  for  fear  of  offending  God  by  my  complaining, 
as  he  had  given  me  so  full  a  persuasion  of  my  eternal  salva- 
tion through  Christ.  I  often  feared  that  he  would  hear 
my  murmuring  as  he  did  the  murmuring  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness,  when  he  answered  them  by  terrible  things ; 
namely,  "  He  gave  them  meat  for  their  lust,  but  sent  lean- 
ness into  their  souls."  And  I  thought,  if  God  should  take 
away#the  happy  enjoyment  of  his  love  from  me,  and  lay  me 
in  a  stock  of  temporal  things  instead  thereof,  I  should  have 
cause,  like  Job,  to  curse  the  day  wherein  the  change  was 
made  ;  therefore  I  often  prayed  against  that,  and  the  blessed 
Spirit  greatly  helped  my  infirmities  in  those  prayers. 


90     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OP  THE  POOR, 

But  when  I  got  about  half  over  the  common,  it  came 
suddenly  into  my  mind  to  go  out  of  the  horse  road  into  a 
little  narrow  track,  which  leads  over  the  hills,  between  the 
hand-post  and  the  Bath-house.  I  could  gain  but  very  little 
ground  by  this,  nor  do  I  remember  that  I  had  ever  gone 
that  way  before;  but  I  soon  found  what  this  impression 
meant ;  for  there  was  to  be  a  battle  fought  between  a  stoat, 
or  weasel,  and  a  large  rabbit.  The  stoat,  or  weasel,  was  to 
fight  the  battle  and  to  win  the  field,  and  I  was  to  take  the 
prey.  So  I  took  up  my  rabbit,  and  gladly  carried  him 
home ;  and  it  proved  as  fine  a  one  as  I  ever  saw,  being  quite 
in  season,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  for  we  had  nothing 
but  bread  in  the  house. 

This  occurrence  happened  before  I  received  the  horse. 
But  I  cannot  recollect  every  circumstance  so  as  to  range  it 
in  its  proper  place,  my  memory  being  naturally  bad.  I  liv- 
ed in  this  manner  for  seven  or  eight  years  together,  and 
every  day  afforded  some  providence  or  trial. 

My  dame  about  this  time  was  pregnant,  and  not  far  from 
her  lying-in.  She  gave  me  a  large  catalogue  of  the  necessa- 
ries that  she  should  want  against  that  time.  I  told  her  I  had 
no  money,  nor  was  there  any  signs  of  my  having  any,  and  we 
could  not  get  them  without.  She  went  on  in  suspense  this 
way,  till  she  expected  her  time  every  day,  and  began  at  last 
to  fret  amazingly.  I  told  her  I  thought  that  God  tried  her 
thus  because  she  was  remiss  in  the  blessed  privilege  of  pri- 
vate prayer.  I  also  remarked  to  her  that  God  would  be  in- 
quired of  by  us,  that  he  might  -do  these  things  for  us,  and 
that  if  she  did  not  pray  for  them,  she  was  not  like  to- have 
them.  I  believe  this  drove  my  dame  to  prayer ;  for  soon 
after  this  there  was  a  parcel  sent  from  Lambeth,  another 
from  Kingston,  another  from  Richmond,  and  a  few  things 
from  some  neighbors  nearer  home.  I  now  asked  the  old 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  91 


woman  if  she  thought  she  had  got  enough.  She  replied, 
"  Yes,  and  more  than  enough."  God  had  exceeded  all  her 
desires,  for  she  had  feared  that  she  should  not  get  money  to 
buy  the  stuff  to  make  up  her  little  things;  and  that  if  she 
did  get  it,  it  would  have  been  so  late  that  she  should  not 
have  had  time  to  make  them.  "  But  God,"  said  she,  "  has 
sent  them  ready  made."  So  Mary  was  very  well  pleased, 
and  richly  supplied.  Thus  the  universal  Provider  of  all  in 
heaven  and  earth  richly  provides  not  only  for  them  that  are 
in  the  world,  but  for  them  also  that  are  coming  into  it. 
This  providence  rather  appeared  strange  to  me,  as  I  had  not 
made  known  the  case  to  any  person,  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge;  but  God,  who  knew  our  straits,  and  heard  and 
answered  our  prayers,  did,  by  some  means  or  other,  inform 
some  friends  of  our  wants,  and  then  touched  their  hearts 
with  a  spirit  of  sympathy  and  liberality.  And  I  think  for 
three  or  four  births  successively,  the  Almighty  raised  up 
one  Dorcas  here,  and  another  there,  to  provide  for  my  dame 
against  her  lying-in.  Thus  the  ever-blessed  God,  who  in- 
flicted the  judgment  of  sorrow  on  women  in  bringing  forth 
children,  as  a  punishment  to  their  sex  for  being  first  in  the 
transgression,  richly  supplies  their  wants  against  the  hour 
in  which  his  own  decreed  and  predicted  sorrow  comes  on ; 
so  likewise  the  just  sentence  denounced  in  his  just  displea- 
sure against  the  female  sex,  for  their  disobedience,  only 
makes  more  work  for  sovereign  mercy,  in  supplying  their 
wants,  supporting  them  in  their  troubles,  and  bringing  them 
throft<rn  their  sorrows.  Oh  how  sweetly  does  a  covenant  of 
grace  (confirmed  by  the  Saviour's  death)  engage  the  sweet 
mercy  and  love  of  the  Almighty  !  for,  whatever  justice,  ho- 
liness, or  truth,  demanded  of  us,  they  brought  in  all  their 
bills  to  Sovereign  Mercy  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesus;  so 
that  one  perfection  of  the  Deity  became,  through  rich  grace, 


92     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

a  debtor  to  the  other.  If  justice  will  not  abate  a  mite  of 
the  sinner's  debt,  everlasting  love  is  determined  to  have  a 
gaol  delivery,  if  the  creditor  himself  appears  in  the  charac- 
ter of  the  debtor,  and  then  of  the  surety.  Thus  the  whole 
bill  of  justice  falls  on  the  score  of  love,  and  a  gaol  delivery 
is  proclaimed  to  us;  and  though  we  contracted  the  whole 
debt,  yet  we  go  free,  with  only  acknowledging  ourselves 
debtors  to  grace !  A  sweet  way  of  paying  debts  truly ! 
My  very  soul  has  often  rejoiced  and  wept  to  see  how  loving 
kindness  and  tender  mercy  have  been  put  to  their  shifts  to 
pay  off  the  unlimited  demands  of  vindictive  justice  —  and 
that  such  poor  debtors  and  rebels  as  we  are,  who  contracted 
so  great  a  debt  as  that  of  eternal  suffering,  and  which  \ve 
never  could  pay,  though  we  suffered  to  all  eternity  —  that 
we  should  have  a  surety  provided  to  pay  both  the  preceptive 
and  penal  sum  for  us !  for  God's  eternal  Spirit  to  be  sent  to 
proclaim  a  full  and  clear  discharge  from  the  whole,  and  a 
receipt  in  full  of  all  demands,  written  by  the  ringer  of  the 
creditor,  sealed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  witnessed  by 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  confirmed  by  the  blood  of  the 
Surety,  supported  by  all  the  laws  of  God,  and  for  ever  set- 
tled in  heaven !  —  and  for  justice  to  stand  bound  with  a 
thousand  ties  never  to  come  upon  the  debtor  to  grace 
again  !  O  the  sweet  mystery  that  makes  our  souls  tremble, 
and  yet  stand  so  fast !  —  that  makes  us  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable, and  yet  weep  till  our  bowels  yearn  ! 

My  dame  having  recovered  from  her  lying-in,  came  with 
another  complaint;  which  was,  that  she  had  cut  up  almost 
all  her  old  gowns  for  the  children,  and  that  she  stood  in 
great  need  of  a  new  one.  I  told  her  that  I  could  not  buy 
her  one,  for  I  had  no  money,  and  there  was  no  likelihood  of 
getting  any.  As  I  often  heard  this  complaint,  I  at  last  told 
her  that  she  must  beg  it  of  God  if  she  would  have  it,  as  I 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  93 

did  my  clothes;  for  God  had  promised  us  these  things,  and 
his  word  informed  me  that  "  the  gold  and  silver,  the  corn, 
the  wine,  the  oil,  the  wool,  and  the  flax,"  were  his  own; 
and  that,  if  she  had  faith  in  him,  she  would  have  her  request 
granted  in  answer  to  her  prayer.  I  had  now  a  great  desire 
to  see  whether  she  would  have  any  success  at  a  throne  of 
grace  or  not.  It  passed  oh,  however,  for  a  long  time  before 
the  gown  appeared ;  but  at  length  it  came,  in  this  manner. 
After  preaching  at  Margaret-street  chapel  one  evening,  a 
person  delivered  a  parcel  into  my  hands,  which  I  received ; 
and,  when  I  opened  it,  there  was  a  note  with  these  words, 
"This  is  a  present  for  Mrs  Huntington."  It  contained 
twelve  yards  of  cotton  to  make  a  gown.  Who  the  person 
was  that  gave  it  I  never  knew  from  that  hour  to  this,  though 
I  believe  some  of  my  friends  did.  I  carried  it  home  to 
Ditton,  where  it  gave  great  satisfaction ;  and  Mary  was  not 
a  little  delighted  to  find  that  God  had  granted  the  request  of 
her  lips. 

I  endeavored  as  much  as  possible  to  get  my  dame  to  live 
by  faith ;  and  often  encouraged  her  to  prayer,  by  telling  her 
that  she  had  a  right  to  expect  her  support  from  God  as 
well  as  myself,  seeing  the  Almighty  had  taken  me  from 
my  daily  labor  to  work  in  his  vineyard ;  and  I  supported 
my  argument  from  this  consideration,  that  the  whole  Levit- 
ical  tribe  lived  of  old  on  the  offerings  of  the  Lord,  both 
women  and  children,  as  well  as  those  men  who  waited  at 
the  altar. 

Soon  after  this,  Providence  sent  me  three  guineas,  with 
which  I  was  determined  to  furnish  my  dame  with  some  other 
apparel.  I  accordingly  bought  her  another  gown,  and  soon 
after  a  friend  gave  her  a  third.  At  this  she  seemed  highly 
pleased.  Her  unbelief  was  confounded,  her  murmuring 
stopped,  and  all  was  well.  However,  I  took  care  not  to 


94     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

break  through  the  bounds  of  Paul's  assertion,  "  But  he  that 
is  married  careth  for  the  things  that  are  of  the  world,  how 
he  may  please  his  wife ;  but  I  would  have  you  without  care- 
fulness. He  that  is  unmarried  careth  for  the  things  that 
belong  to  the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord."  1  Cor. 
vii.  31,  32.  We  must  endeavor  to  please  our  Master,  if  we 
cannot  always  please  our  mistress. 

After  this  the  bountiful  hand  of  my  Lord  seemed  to  be 
closed  again  for  a  long  time ;  until  I  got  five  guineas  in 
debt,  and  began  to  want  even  provisions.  Now  I  began  to 
fret,  and  unbelief  crept  in  apace ;  but,  just  as  the  spirit  of 
murmuring  and  complaining  began  to  operate,  there  came 
a  letter  to  me  from  a  gentleman  at  Gainsborough  in  Lincoln- 
shire. I  opened  it  and  found  the  following  contents : 

"  DEAR  FRIEND  : 

I  have  sent  you  a  hamper  by  one  of  my  ships,  which 
will  be  at  London  by  such  a  time,  if  God  permit :  and  I 
have  ordered  it  to  be  left  at  Hungerford-Stairs  for  you.  The 
first  present  is  for  your  wife,  which  is  two  ends  —  the  other 
is  for  your  children,  being  a  cow  and  her  milk-maid  attend- 
ing her ;  a  cow  being  very  useful  where  there  is  a  family — 
the  last  article,  according  to  my  judgment,  is  a  very  useful 
thing  for  you,  and  for  every  gospel  minister.  Tender  my 
best  respects  to  your  wife  and  little  ones,  and  accept  the 
same  from  Your  humble  servant, 

J.  D." 

Here  is  the  riddle,  and  I  had  seven  days  to  find  it  out. 
My  dame  asked  me  if  my  present  was  a  Bible.  I  said  no, 
I  believed  not.  I  told  her  that  Paul  called  a  gospel-minis- 
ter an  ox.  "  Thou  shall  not  muzzle  the  mouth  of  the  ox 
that  treadeth  out  the  corn.  Doth  God  take  care  of  oxen, 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  95 

or  saith  he  it  altogether  for  our  sakes  ?  For  our  sakes  no 
doubt  this  is  written."  "Thus,"  said  I,  "God  compares  a 
preacher  to  an  ox.  Treading  out  the  corn  is  unfolding  and 
explaining  God's  word ;  muzzling  the  ox  is  not  giving  him 
food  to  eat  for  his  labor,  as  Paul  explains  it,  '  Even  so  hath 
the  Lord  ordained,  that  they  which  preach  the  gospel  should 
live  of  the  gospel.'"  1  Cor.  ix.  }4.  I  farther  added  that 
the  same  apostle,  who  compares  the  preacher  to  an  ox,  tells 
us,  in  his  epistle  to  the  church  at  Colosse,  to  "  let  our  speech 
be  always  with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt,  that  we  may  know 
how  we  ought  to  answer  every  man."  Col.  iv.  6.  Therefore 
I  conjectured  that  my  present  was  a  bullock's  tongue,  well 
salted ;  and  that  my  wife's,  which  the  letter  expressed  to  be 
two  ends,  must  be  a  flitch  of  bacon,  cut  in  two  pieces ;  but, 
as  for  a  cow  I  could  not  conjecture  what  that  could  be. 
When  the  hamper  came,  we  all  got  round  it,  to  see  what 
was  the  substance  of  the  riddle  in  the  carcass  of  the  lion ; 
and  when  it  was  opened,  I  found  that  my  present  was  a 
bullock's  tongue  dried ;  my  dame's  was  two  large  pieces  of 
bacon ;  and  the  children's  present  was  a  cheese,  with  the 
print  of  a  cow  and  milk-maid  milking  her  on  it.  Such  was 
the  present,  and  this  was  the  explanation  of  the  riddle. 

About  this  time  I  went  once  a  fortnight  to  preach  at  a 
place  in  Middlesex,  about  ten  miles  from  London,  where  I 
lived,  and  they  gave  me  three  shillings  a  time  for  preaching 
to  them.  There  was  a  single  gentleman,  who  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church,  a  man  of  great  property,  supposed  to  be 
worth  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  pounds.  This  gentleman 
once  saw  me  pass  by  his  door,  as  I  had  been  that  way  to 
visit  a  sick  woman.  He  called  me  into  his  house,  and 
expressed  much  love  to  my  master  Jesus,  and  a  great  satis- 
faction in  hearing  my  discourses  on  the  doctrine  of  grace  ; 
and  desired  me  the  next  time  I  came,  to  deliver  a  discourse 


96  GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OP    THE     POOR, 

from  this  passage  of  scripture :  "But  the  land  whither  ye  go 
to  possess  it,  is  a  land  of  hills  and  valleys,  and  drinketh 
water  of  the  rain  of  heaven;  a  land  which  the  Lord  thy 
God  careth  for  :  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  thy  God  are  upon  it, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  year  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
year."  Deut.  xi.  11,  12.  So  I  promised  to  offer  my 
thoughts  on  the  text  when  I  came  again  to  preach.  At  my 
departure  he  gave  me  the  right-hand  of  fellowship,  blessed 
me  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and,  putting  his  hand  into  his 
pocket,  very  generously  made  me  a  present  of  a  whole  shil- 
ling !  I  took  it,  and  thanked  him  kindly  ;  for  I  thought  it 
was  the  first  fruits  of  liberality  that  ever  grew  upon  that 
tree,  and  perhaps  the  last ;  and  I  mention  it  now  to  the 
honor  of  his  compassionate  bowels.  I  afterwards  found  that 
he  had  made  many  inquiries  concerning  me ;  and  had  been 
informed  that  I  was  a  poor  man,  had  a  large  family,  that  I 
walked  ten  miles  out  and  ten  miles  back  again,  and  was 
from  home  all  night  when  I  preached  at  that  place,  for 
which  I  received  only  three  shillings.  These  things  reaching 
his  ears,  conveyed  that  sympathetic  touch  to  his  feelings, 
and  finally  dragged  that  whole  shilling  out  of  his  pericar- 
dium. "  How  hardly  shall  those  that  have  riches  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God  !  " 

1  believe  that  every  man  has  a  god  of  some  sort  or  other. 
Self  is  the  god  of  the  pharisee  ;  the  belly  the  god  of  the  epi- 
curean ;  Mammon  the  god  of  the  miser ;  and  Jehovah  the 
god  of  the  Christian.  And  all  these  have  their  representa- 
tives. Hagar  is  the  mother  of  the  pharisees ;  Nabal  the 
head  of  the  gluttons  ;  Judas  of  the  mammonites  ;  and  Simon 
Magus  is  the  figurative  sire  of  every  person  who  is  laboring 
hard  to  purchase  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  their  own  supposed  merit. 

Having  been  one  night  to  preach  at  Richmond,  I  was 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  97 

invited  home  by  my  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chapman,  at 
Petersham,  near  Richmond,  to  sleep.  Tn  the  morning  Mrs. 
Chapman,  smiling,  told  me  she  had  twelve  yards  of  stuff 
damask  by  her,  which  she  intended  to  make  me  a  present 
of,  for  a  morning  gown.  I  laughed,  and  told  them  that  I 
thought  a  coal-heaver  would  cut  a  strange  figure  in  a  morn- 
ing gown.  I  should  appear  like  a  beggar  in  dignity  ;  but 
that  was  better  than  dignity  in  ruins.  However,  they  saw 
that  God  had  begun  to  lift  up  my  head,  and  were  deter- 
mined their  pastor  should  make  a  more  respectable  figure; 
wherefore  they  insisted  on  my  having  it ;  to  which  I  object- 
ed, because  a  gown  has  such  a  cottish  appearance  on  a 
laborer  in  the  vineyard.  I  therefore  turned  it  into  a  ban- 
yan, or  coat;  and  after  it  was  made  up  I  hid  it  for  two  or 
three  months  before  I  could  reconcile  myself  to  appear  in  it. 
I  had  now  received  a  letter  from  a  friend  in  the  country, 
who  was  in  great  distress,  and  stood  much  in  need  of  a  little 
relief;  but  at  that  time  I  myself  was  four  or  five  pounds  in 
debt,  which  I  had  been  a  long  time  in  expectation  that  my 
God  would  enable  me  to  discharge.  However,  I  found  that 
God  now  began  to  try  my  patience ;  and  that  I  ought  to 
importune,  and  watch,  and  wait  upon  the  Lord,  and  to  keep 
my  eye  fixed  on  him,  as  a  servant's  eye  is  on  the  hand  of 
his  master,  until  I  obtained  an  answer.  And  I  never  waited 
on  his  blessed  Majesty  in  vain,  for  it  was  sure  to  come  at 
length.  After  putting  up  many  petitions,  and  having  been 
kept  long  in  suspense,  I  one  night  called  on  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith,  in  Chandler  street,  Oxford  road,  who  were  great 
friends  to  me.  Before  I  departed  they  generously  made  me 
a  present  of  three  guineas.  I  humbly  beg  their  pardon  for 
mentioning  their  names,  and  exposing  their  secret  alms ; 
but,  as  I  prayed  to  my  Father  which  seeth  in  secret,  and  he 
in  mercy  rewarded  me  openly,  I  therefore  must  proclaim  it 
13 


93     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

upon  the  house-top,  to  encourage  the  weak  faith  of  others, 
that  they  may  make  God  their  Guardian  and  their  Bank. 
The  liberality  of  Job's  friends  is  left  upon  record  to  their 
honor,  when  "  every  man  gave  him  a  piece  of  money,  and 
every  one  an  ear-ring  of  gold."  Job  xlii.  11. 

I  now  took  encouragement  to  hope  that  my  gracious 
Master  would  add  to  this  blessing  a  sufficiency  for  the  pur- 
pose of  discharging  my  debt,  and  relieving  my  friend ; 
which,  in  answer  to  prayer,  he  was  graciously  pleased  to  do. 
The  next  morning  a  person  knocked  at  my  door,  desiring  to 
see  me.  When  he  came  into  my  study  I  looked  at  him,  and 
perceived  him  to  be  a  gentleman  that  I  had  never  seen 
before.  He  told  me  that  he  had  once  heard  me  preach  at 
Dr.  Giffbrd's  meeting  house,  and  once  or  twice  in  Margaret 
Street  Chapel,  and  that  he  had  heard  me  greatly  to  his  sat- 
isfaction :  and  the  reason  of  his  coming  to  see  me  now  was, 
that  he  had  been  exercised  the  last  night  with  a  dream — 
that  he  dceamed  the  word  of  God  came  to  him,  saying,  "  If 
thy  brother  be  waxed  poor,  thou  shalt  open  thy  hand  to  thy 
poor  brother,"  &,c.  He  asked  me  if  there  was  such  a  por- 
tion of  scripture;  I  answered  the  words  were  these ;  "If 
there  be  among  you  a  poor  man,  one  of  thy  brethren,  with- 
in any  of  thy  gates,  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee,  thou  shalt  not  harden  thy  heart,  nor  shut  thine 
hand  from  thy  poor  brother;  but  thou  shalt  open  thine  hand 
wide  unto  him,  and  shall  surely  lend  him  sufficient  for  his 
need,  in  that  which  he  wanteth.  Beware  that  there  be  not 
a  thought  in  thy  wicked  heart,  saying,  The  seventh  year, 
the  year  of  release  is  at  hand  :  and  thine  eye  be  evil  against 
thy  poor  brother,  and  thou  givest  him  nought,  and  he  cry 
unto  the  Lord  against  thee,  and  it  be  sin  unto  thee.  Thou 
shalt  surely  give  him,  and  thine  heart  shall  not  be  grieved 
when  thou  givest  him ;  because  that  for  this  thing  the  Lord 


AND     THE    BANK     OF     FAITH.  99 

thy  God  shall  bless  thee  in  all  thy  works,  and  in  all  thatthou 
puttest  thine  hand  unto.  For  the  poor  shall  never  cease 
out  of  the  land.  Wherefore  I  command  thee,  saying,  Thou 
shall  open  thine  hand  wide  unto  thy  brother,  to  thy  poor, 
and  to  thy  needy  in  the  land."  .  Deut.  xv.  7 — 11.  He 
told  me  many  of  these  words  came  to  him  in  his  sleep ;  and 
in  the  morning  when  he  awoke,  he  felt  the  power  of  them. 
In  wondering  who  this  poor  brother  could  be,  he  informed 
me  it  was  impressed  on  his  mind,  that  I  was  the  brother 
about  whom  he  had  dreamed  ;  and  asked  me  concerning  my 
circumstances.  I  then  told  him  of  the  trial  I  was  in  ;  and, 
as  he  was  fully  satisfied  it  was  of  God,  he  wondered  much 
at  it.  At  his  departure  he  gave  me  a  new  pair  of  doe-skin 
gloves,  two  new  white  handkerchiefs,  very  good,  and  a 
guinea.  He  then  blessed  me,  and  left  me ;  and  I  do  not 
remember  ever  seeing  him  before  that  time,  nor  but  once 
since.  Thus  God,  who  commanded  a  widow  to  sustain 
Elijih,  commanded  this  man  to  relieve  me. 

The  next  day  a  friend  told  me  that  a  person  had  left  a 
guinea  with  him  for  me ;  and,  while  at  Mr.  Byrchmore's  in 
Margaret  street,  a  lady  came  to  his  door  in  a  coach,  inquir- 
ing for  me.  When  I  came  to  the  door,  she  put  her  hand 
out  and  gave  me  a  guinea,  and  then  ordered  the  coachman 
to  drive  away,  having  done  all  the  business  God  sent  her  to 
do.  Thus  our  most  bountiful  Benefactor  answered  these 
my  poor  petitions  also,  after  he  had  been  pleased  for  a  time 
to  exercise  my  faith  and  patience,  in  order  to  encourage  me 
to  a  stronger  confidence  in  his  grace  and  providence.  Arid 
I  now  make  it  known  to  the  honor  of  his  veracity,  and  to 
the  encouragement  of  the  poor  of  his  flock,  who  are  obliged 
to  live,  both  spiritually  and  temporally,  "  by  every  word  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  And,  as  God  has 
been  pleased  to  reveal  himself  as  a  God  that  will  hear  and 


100    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

answer  prayer,  and  has  appeared  so  to  me,  one  of  the  worst 
and  least  of  all  his  creatures,  I  choose  therefore  to  subscribe 
with  my  hands  ;  (Isa.  xliv.  5,)  set  to  my  seal ;  and  proclaim 
to  all  that  fear  his  name,  that  God  is  true  ;  John  iii.  33. 

Oh  how  sweet  have  tliQse  words  often  been  to  my  soul ! 
and  as  applicable  to  my  case  as  possible  :  "  And  thou  shalt 
remember  all  the  ways  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee 
these  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  to  humble  thee  and  to 
prove  thee,  to  know  what  was  in  thine  heart,  whether  thou 
wouldst  keep  his  commandments  or  no.  And  he  humbled 
thee,  and  suffered  thee  to  hunger,  and  fed  thee  with  manna, 
which  thou  knewest  not,  neither  did  thy  fathers  know  ;  that 
he  might  make  thee  know  that  man  doth  not  live  by  bread 
alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  doth  man  live."  Deut.  viii.  2,  3.  When  these 
precious  answers  to  prayer  appeared,  they  always  came 
attended  with  humbling  grace,  and  were  sweetened  to  my 
soul  with  a  blessed  sense  of  unmerited  love ;  arid,  though 
at  certain  times,  when  unbelief  was  prevalent,  I  have  found 
it  hard  work  to  keep  from  murmuring ;  especially  when  I 
have  seen  the  basest  of  mortals  rolling  in  wealth  and  pleas- 
ure, and  spending  it  to  support  the  shattered  interest  of 
the  devil ;  while  I  could  appeal  to  God  that  I  loved  him, 
arid  sought  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  his  chosen,  yea,  even 
labored  beyond  my  strength  in  his  cause  and  interest,  and 
yet  suffered  for  want  of  common  necessaries.  But  these 
two  scriptures  generally  silenced  my  murmuring. —  "  The 
wicked  have  their  portion  in  this  life,  whose  belly  God  fills 
with  his  hid  treasure;  "  and  "  The  righteous  are  God's  wit- 
nesses against  the  wicked."  These  words  would  sometimes 
occur  to  my  mind,  "  He  that  hath  a  bountiful  eye  shall  be 
blessed."  And  again,  "  To  one  it  is  given  to  gather  together 
and  heap  up,  but  never  an  heart  given  to  do  good  there- 


AND     THE      BANK     OF     FAITH.  101 

with ;  this  is  a  sore  travail."  And  that  in  Job,  "  Though 
the  wicked  prepare  raiment  as  the  sand,  yet  the  righteous 
shall  put  it  on,  and  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  silver." 
Better  is  gospel  contentment  with  poverty  than  the  sacri- 
fices of  many  wicked ;  and  I  have  often  found  the  most 
comfort  in  my  soul,  when  my  outward  matters  have  appear- 
ed to  wear  the  most  gloomy  aspect  —  internal  consolations 
have  more  than  once  counterbalanced  all  my  external  afflic- 
tions. These  daily  crosses  attending  me  in  circumstances, 
I  found  were  made  very  useful  to  those  whom  God  had  called 
by  me,  as  the  means  to  establish  them  in  the  faith  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  Saviour  of  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul,  and  in 
whom  the  invaluable  promise  is  yea  and  amen  to  every  soul 
that  is  interested  in  his  finished  salvation.  God  hath  given 
us  all  things  in  Christ,  whether  life  or  death  —  yea,  we 
have  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which 
is  to  come  ;  which  promise  even  includes  "  all  things  per- 
taining to  life  and  godliness."  Happy  is  that  soul  that 
credits  God's  promise  —  places  his  confidence  in  him  for  the 
fulfilment  of  it  —  makes  use  of  the  means  God  has  appoint- 
ed—  daily  pleads  his  promise  in  the  humble  prayer  of  faith 
—  patiently  waits  his  time  —  daily  watches  his  hand  —  lives 
in  a  holy  expectation  of  a  daily  supply  of  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral mercies  from  the  God  of  his  salvation  —  and  who  is 
humbly  thankful  to  God  for  every  favor  that  flows  through 
the  atoning  blood  and  prevalent  intercession  of  a  dear  Re- 
deemer !  I  say,  let  not  such  envy  the  crowned  head  nor 
sceptred  hand  ;  for,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  or  if  there  be 
any  praise,  if  there  be  any  serenity  of  mind,  if  any  peace 
of  conscience,  if  any  honor  to  God,  if  any  fruit  brought 
forth  to  the  glory  of  the  Most  High,  it  is  to  be  found  in  such 
a  soul ;  and  he,  with  the  greatest  propriety,  may  be  said  to 
think  on  these  things. 
14 


102    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OP  THE  POOR, 

At  another  time  when  Providence  had  been  exercising 
my  faith  and  patience  till  the  cupboard  was  quite  empty,  in 
answer  to  simple  prayer  he  sent  one  of  the  largest  hams  that 
I  ever  saw.  Indeed  I  saw  clearly  that  I  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  pray,  to  study,  and  to  preach ;  for  God  took  care  for 
me,  and  my  family  also,  agreeable  to  his  own  promise, 
"  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness, 
and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you."  And  I  have 
often  thought  the  reason  why  our  dear  Lord  and  Master  gave 
no  inheritance  to  the  Levitical  tribe,  who  performed  the 
sanctuary  service,  was,  that  they  might  learn  to  live  by  faith, 
and  likewise  to  exercise  and  try  the  liberality  of  the  wor- 
shipping tribes.  And  this  appears  to  be  the  reason  why 
the  apostles  were  sent  out  to  preach  without  purse  or  scrip. 
Certainly  God  could  have  sent  them  out  as  rich  as  the 
sanhedrim,  had  he  thought  proper.  But  no;  he  left  the 
blind  priest  to  live  on  the  offerings  and  tithes  of  the  blind 
followers,  as  their  portion  ;  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  was 
the  only  portion  that  some  of  them  ever  had  from  God. 
But  the  poor  apostles  were  to  go  out  with  only  a  portion 
of  grace  in  their  hearts ;  and  where  they  sowed  these  spirit- 
ual things,  God  opened  the  hearts  of  the  converts  to  bring 
forth  temporal  things  to  them.  And  it  often  appeared  that 
as  soon  as  the  grace  of  God  had  taken  the  government  of  a 
young  convert's  heart,  his  temporal  riches  appeared  at  the 
apostles'  feet.  Thus  the  gospel  defrayed  the  expenses  of  the 
dispensers  of  it.  And  this  I  believe-was  intended  to  try  the  sin- 
cerity of  the  grace  of  those  who  were  enabled  to  believe  the 
gospel ;  as  Paul  put  some  of  his  followers  upon  a  like  trial,  and 
made  liberality  one  of  the  touch-stones.  "  See  that  ye  come 
not  behind  in  this  grace  also."  Yea,  and  even  our  dear  Lord  , 
and  Master  lived  on  the  alms  of  his  followers;  for,  as  socn 
as  he  was  born,  the  eastern  sages  opened  their  treasures, 


r 

AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  103 


and  presented  unto  him  gold,  frankincense, 
and  even  until  his  crucifixion  he  lived  on  the  liberality  of 
his  poor  disciples,  who  were  said  to  minister  to  him  of  their 
substance.  It  is  true,  Satan  offered  him  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them,  upon  certain  conditions  ; 
but  he  refused  ;  choosing  to  suffer  hunger  rather  than  turn 
stones  into  bread  to  prove  his  sonship,  and  please  an  accus- 
ing devil. 

Providence  was  pleased  again  to  try  me,  till  I  run  five 
guineas  in  debt.  After  I  had  prayed  and  waited  some  time, 
a  gentleman  belonging  to  the  Stamp-office,  (a  very  faithful 
friend  to  me  for  many  years  together,  during  my  state  of 
extreme  poverty,)  called  upon  me,  and  generously  made  me 
a  present  of  five  guineas,  which  payed  off  that  debt.  Oh, 
the  goodness  of  God  to  those  that  fear  his  name  and  hope 
in  his  mercy  !  He  even  sent  a  raven  to  feed  the  prophet 
Elijah,  when  he  dwelt  by  the  brook  Cherith  ;  an  angel,  too, 
was  sent  from  heaven  to  bake  him  a  cake  on  a  fire,  and 
bring  him  a  cruse  of  water,  when,  being  weary,  he  slept 
under  the  juniper-tree,  in  his  road  to  Horeb  —  "  Arise,  and 
eat,"  said  the  celestial  guest,  "  for  the  journey  is  too  great 
for  thee."  1  Kings  xix.  7. 

I  now  began  to  get  quite  weary  of  living  at  Thames 
Ditton,  as  I  did  not  see  that  God  had  any  thing  more  for 
me  to  do  there.  His  word  had  appeared  a  savour  of  life 
unto  life  to  some  few,  and  a  savour  of  death  unto  death  to 
many,  who  were  indefatigable  in  opposing  it.  In  short,  I 
secretly  longed  to  leave  it,  but  was  determined  not  to  do  so 
until  I  saw  the  Lord  himself  open  the  door;  for,  "when  he 
puts  forth  his  own  sheep,  he  goes  before  them."  I  was  ful- 
ly persuaded  that  I  should  end  my  ministry  in  London,  and 
had  long  tcld  a  friend  in  town  of  it.  Another  reason  for  my 
wanting  to  quit  Ditton  was,  the  bad  state  of  health  that  I  felt 


104    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

myself  in,  which  rendered  me  incapable  of  such  long  journeys 
and  so  much  labor.  But  I  have  generally  found  God  to 
kindle  a  desire  in  my  heart  after  that  which  he  intended  to 
bring  to  pass.  Thus,  when  the  time  came  for  Israel  to 
leave  Egypt,  the  spirit  of  supplication  was  sent  to  make  in- 
tercession in  many  of  their  hearts,  after  their  deliverance 
from  bondage;  and  God  told  Moses  he  had  heard  the  groan- 
ings  of  his  people  Israel,  by  reason  of  their  task-masters; 
and  "  I  am  come  down,"  said  God,  "  to  deliver  them."  And 
so  it  will  appear  even  in  this  matter  when  I  have  related  it. 
After  preaching  at  Wooking  one  evening,  I  returned 
home  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night ;  and  before  I  could 
shift  myself,  and  take  care  of  my  horse,  it  was  between  one  and 
two.  Having  an  infant  very  ill,  I  told  my  dame  that  I  would 
lie  alone  that  night,  as  the  child  was  so  very  restless  I  was 
apprehensive  I  should  get  no  rest  myself,  being  very  weary; 
and,  having  another  journey  to  go  the  next  day,  I  was  fear- 
ful I  should  not  be  able  to  perform  it  unless  I  had  some  rest. 
Accordingly  I  went  into  another  bed,  and  fell  into  a  very 
sound  sleep.  When  I  dreamed  ;  and  behold  !  in  my  dream 
I  thought  I  heard  the  Lord  call  to  me  with  a  very  shrill, 
distinct  voice,  saying,  "  Son  of  man  !  son  of  man,  prophe- 
sy !  son  of  man,  prophesy  ! "  I  answered,  "  Lord,  what  shall 
I  prophesy?"  The  voice  came  again,  saying,  "  Prcphesy 
upon  the  thick  boughs."  I  immediately  awoke,  and  felt  a 
comfortable  power  on  my  heart,  and  thought  the  voice  seem- 
ed fresh  in  my  ears.  I  knew  not  what  it  meant,  nor  did  I 
remember  ever  seeing  £uch  words  as  "  thick  boughs"  in  the 
Bible.  However,  I  got  up  immediately,  and  traced  my  Bible, 
to  see  if  I  could  find  those  words  there ;  thinking  that,  if  I 
could,  I  should  conclude  the  dream  to  be  from  God.  I  soon 
found  the  words,  and  perceived  the  thick  boughs  to  be  men  ; 
Ezek.  xxxi.  3,  xvii.  23.  But  what  the  command  could 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  105 

mean,  I  could  not  then  tell,  because  I  was  employed  in  proph- 
esying on  the  boughs  almost  every  day.  I  went  into  my 
dame's  room  and  told  her  of  it ;  but  observed  at  the  same 
time  that  I  could  not  think  what  it  meant,  though  I  should 
certainly  know  hereafter.  The  next  day  I  came  to  London, 
and  told  it  to  Mr.  Byrchmore ;  adding,  that  I  knew  there 
was  a  mystery  in  it,  and  that,  as  it  was  from  God,  it  would 
shortly  be  revealed  to  me.  "  God  speaketh  once,  yea,  twice, 
but  man  perceiveth  it  not ;  in  a  dream,  in  a  vision  of  the 
night,  when  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men,  in  slumbering 
upon  the  bed  ;  then  he  openeth  the  ears  of  men,  and  sealeth 
their  instruction."  Job  xxxiii.  14,  15. 

However,  it  passed  on  for  some  days  entirely  hid  from  me 
what  the  meaning  could  be.  But  I  knew  the  vision  would 
speak  in  time  ;  and,  though  it  tarried  some  days,  yet  I  wait- 
ed for  it.  Hab.  ii.  3.  I  likewise  tol'd  Mr.  Butler,  another 
friend,  of  it;  but  he  did  not  seem  to  like  it,  as  he  wished 
me  to  stay  at  Ditton. 

It  so  happened,  that  shortly  after  this  I  was  taken  ill,  and 
was  obliged  to  be  shut  up  in  my  room  for  two  or  three  days ; 
during  which  time  I  was  ruminating  in  my  own  mind  the 
conduct  of  the  people  at  Ditton  ;  how  long  I  had  preached 
among  them,  and  how  unwearied  they  had  been  in  persecut- 
ing the  gospel  of  Christ ;  and  that,  though  God  had  cut  off 
so  many  of  them  in  their  rebellion,  yet  they  were  still  blind 
both  to  his  mercies  and  to  his  judgments.  As  I  had  ap- 
peared in  that  place  in  the  mean  capacity  of  a  coal-heaver, 
they  would  not  allow  themselves  to  think  that  God  had  sent 
such  an  one  as  me  to  preach  to  them.  I  then  thought  on 
my  infirm  state  of  body,  and  of  the  many  weaknesses  I  la- 
bored under,  which  were  brought  on  me  by  living  abstemi- 
ously, and  by  hard  labor,  and  that  I  was  bringing  my  years 
"  to  an  end  like  a  tale  that  is  told."  And  such  is  the  poli- 


106    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

cy  of  the  devil  that  I  believe  he  would  counterfeit  holiness, 
and  tempt  souls  even  to  extreme  abstinence,  if  he  could  by 
such  means  rid  the  world  of  an  experienced  believer  :  who 
he  knows  is  a  brazen  wall  and  an  iron  tower  against  his 
interest ;  for  such  have  weathered  all  his  besiegers  ever  since 
the  unjustifiable  war  was  proclaimed  by  the  devil  against 
God.  In  short,  I  secretly  wished  that  God  would  remove 
me  from  that  place. 

While  musing  in  this  manner  it  was  suddenly  impressed 
on  my  mind  to  leave  Thames  Ditton,  and  to  take  a  house  in 
London  ;  that  I  should  leave  these  little  places  in  the  coun- 
try, and  preach  in  the  great  metropolis,  where  hearers  were 
more  numerous  ;  and  that  this  was  the  meaning  of  the  words 
that  came  to  me  in  the  vision,  "  Prophesy,  son  of  man,  proph- 
esy on  the  thick  boughs."  Under  this  impulse  I  found  my- 
self very  happy ;  and  was  thankful  to  God  for  my  intended 
removal,  it  seemed  to  me  so  clearly  to  be  of  him.  I  then 
told  the  Lord  that  they  hated  me  because  of  my  poverty  and 
mean  appearance  ;  when  these  words  came  to  my  mind  with 
power,  "  A  prophet  is  not  without  honor,  save  in  his  own 
country,  and  in  his  father's  house."  -  It  was  farther  suggest- 
ed to  my  mind  that  God  had  permitted  them  lately  to  perse- 
cute me  more  than  usual,  that  they  might  wholly  drive  the 
gospel  from  them.  And  I  much  question  if  ever  God  sends 
'his  word  there  again  !  for  I  think  they  are  left  almost  as  in- 
excusable as  Chorazin  and  Capernaum;  as  no  less  than  tei: 
awful  judgments  had  been  conspicuously  executed  on  them 
in  their  rebellion  against  the  word,  as  is  related  in  my  Naked 
Bow  of  God.  And  I  believe,  in  less  than  two  years  af- 
ter I  left  that  place,  there  were  no  less  than  ten  who  were 
awfully  destroyed  by  themselves  or  others.  But  to  return. 
I  then  sent  for  a  friend  of  mine,  one  Mr.  Felton,  and  inform- 
ed him  of  it ;  who  said,  he  thought  me  justifiable  in  leaving 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  107 

the  place,  observing  also  that  a  prophet  has  no  honor  in  his 
own  country.  I  then  took  my  horse,  rode  to  London,  and 
informed  some  friends  of  it ;  every  one  of  whom  approved 
of  my  resolution.  I  accordingly  took  a  house,  and  soon  af- 
ter ordered  two  carts  from  London  to  bring  my  household 
furniture  from  Ditton.  Carts,  I  say,  for  I  had  no  need  of 
Joseph's  wagons,  as  I  had  got  but  little  in  that  inhospitable 
Canaan. 

Five  years  of  the  term  being  unexpired,  of  the  lease  of  the 
house  I  was  going  to  leave,  I  pondered  in  my  own  mind  the 
impropriety  of  quitting  before  it  was  let,  being  fearful  it 
would  lie  on  my  hands,  and  that  I  should  want  the  money  I 
had  paid  for  the  fixtures  to  carry  with  me,  and  what  I  had 
expended  in  planting  the  garden. 

But  my  most  blessed  Banker  provided  against  this  trial 
also ;  for  it  came  to  pass,  just  as  I  had  loaded  my  goods, 
that  a  person  came  and  asked  me  if  I  had  let  my  house.  I 
told  him  "  No."  Upon  which  he  replied,  "  I  will  take  it  of 
you ;  and  buy  your  fixtures,  your  trees,  and  the  garden  crop 
also."  In  short,  my  landlord  accepted  him  for  his  tenant, 
the  lease  was  assigned  over  to  him,  the  fixtures  and  plants 
appraised,  the  money  paid  down,  the  keys  delivered  up  ;  and 
all  was  settled  to  my  wish  beyond  all  expectation.  "  There- 
fore, thou  son  of  man,  prepare  the  stuff  for  removings, 
and  remove  by  day  in  their  sight*  and  thou  shalt  remove 
from  thy  place  to  another  place  in  their  sight:  it  may  be 
they  will  consider,  though  they  be  a  rebellious  house." 
Ezekiel  xii.  3. 

Thus  far  my  vision  appeared  true.  The  next  thing  I  had 
to  observe  was,  whether  the  boughs  were  thick  or  not ;  be- 
cause the  voice  in  the  vision  was,  "  Son  of  man,  prophesy 
among  the  thick  boughs."  I  then  believed  that  the  other 
part  of  the  vision  would  be  fulfilled,  though  all  the  world 


108        GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

should  oppose  ;  and,  having  opened  a  larger  chapel  than  I 
preached  in  at  first,  seemed  still  to  confirm  it  more  antl 
more.  I  have  now  lived  to  see  the  boughs  too  thick  for  the 
chapel  to  contain  them  ;  and  in  this,  as  well  as  in  every 
thing  else,  I  set  to  my  seal,  "  that  God  is  true." 

When  I  first  began  to  open  my  mouth  for  the  Lord,  the  mas- 
ter for  whom  I  carried  coals  was  rather  displeased  ;  at  which 
I  do  not  wonder,  as  he  was  an  arminian  of  the  arminians,  or 
a  pharisee  of  the  pharisees.  I  told  him,  however,  that  I  should 
prophesy  to  thousands  before  I  died ;  and  soon  after  the 
doors  began  to  be  opened  to  receive  my  message.  When 
this  appeared,  and  I  had  left  the  slavish  employment  of  coal- 
carrying,  others  objected  to  my  master  against  such  a  fellow 
as  me  taking  up  the  office  of  a  minister.  His  answer  was, 
"  Let  him  alone  ;  I  once  heard  him  say  that  he  should  proph- 
esy to  thousands  before  he  died  ;  let  us  see  whether  this 
prophesy  comes  to  pass  or  not."  He  had,  as  I  suppose,  that 
passage  in  view  mentioned  by  Moses,  "  And,  if  thou  say  in 
thine  heart,  How  shall  I  know  the  word  which  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  ?  When  a  prophet  speaks  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  if  the  thing  follow  not,  nor  come  to  pass,  that  is  the 
thing  which  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken,  but  the  prophet  hath 
spoken  it  presumptuously  ;  thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  of  him." 

However,  they  very  shortly  saw  that  it  came  to  pass,  and 
in  a  very  extraordinary  manner  too  :  for  God  opened  four 
doors  to  me  presently  ;"  and  in  a  very  little  time  brought  me 
to  preach  out  of  doors. 

At  my  first  beginning  to  speak  in  public,  many  professors 
and  possessors  of  grace  opposed  me,  as  well  as  the  world  : 
some  from  a  principle  of  jealousy ;  others  from  a  principle 
of  love,  fearing  that  I  should  run  before  I  was  sent ;  but  they 
knew  not  the  impulse  that  I  was  under.  Of  their  opposi- 
tions to  me,  however,  I  often  complained  to  God  in  prayer, 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH,  109 

telling  him  that  I  expected  some  degree  of  support  and  en- 
couragement from  his  own  children  ;  instead  of  which  I  had 
nothing  but  opposition,  and  a  weakening  of  my  hands.  In- 
deed some  kept  themselves  at  a  distance  from  me,  and  have 
contradicted  me  at  times,  behaving  quite  insolent.  In  an- 
swer to  my  petitions  the  Lord  applied  these  words  to  my 
heart,  and  gave  me  a  strong  faith  in  them :  "  A  man's  gift 
maketh  room  for  him,  and  bringeth  him  before  great  men." 
Prov.  xviii.  16.  At  length  I  was  led  to  see  that  I  must  be 
weaned  from  the  church  as  well  as  from  the  world  ;  and  these 
words  confirmed  me  in  it,  "  Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend,  put 
ye  no  confidence  in  a  guide ;  keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth 
from  her  that  lieth  in  thy  bosom."  Mic.  vii.  5*.  "  The  best 
of  them  is  as  a  brier,  the  most  upright  is  sharper  than  a 
thorn  hedge."  Ver.  4. 

God  took  an  effectual  method  to  convince  many  of  his 
people  of  his  having  called  me  to  the  work  of  the  ministry ; 
for  it  so  happened  that  a  certain  professor  had  engaged  a 
minister  to  come  from  London  and  preach  out  of  doors,  at 
Moulsey,  on  the  Lord's  day  morning.  This  was  published 
at  our  meetings,  and  as  I  had  never  heard  a  sermon  out  of 
doors,  I  was  determined  to  go.  As  he  was  to  preach  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  could  hear  him  without  encroach- 
ing upon  those  hours  in  which  our  little  church  met. 
About  three  o'clock  on  the  Lord's  day  morning  I  arose; 
but,  as  soon  as  I  was  out  of  bed,  (pleasing  myself  at  the 
thoughts  of  hearing  a  sermon,  and  having  an  opportunity  of 
trying  my  doctrine  by  the  standard  of  a  London  preacher,) 
there  came  a  voice  to  me  with  power,  which  I  both  heard 
and  felt,  saying  "  You  must  preach  out  of  doors  to-day,  and 
you  must  preach  from  this  text,  '  Go  therefore  into  the 
highways,  and  as  many  as  ye  find,  bid  to  the  marriage.' " 
Mat.  xii.  9.  I  was  much  amazed  at  this  sudden  impulse ; 


110    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

yet  I  thought  it  was  from  God.  If,  however,  I  happened  to 
mention  any  thing  of  the  sort  to  some  people,  they  would 
call  it  a  delusion  ;  but,  notwithstanding  this,  God  generally 
showed  me  afterwards  that  they  themselves  had  but  little,  if 
any,  experimental  knowledge  of  God. 

I  shall  now  relate  every  circumstance  of  this  extraordi- 
nary affair,  and  leave  the  unprejudiced  to  judge  whether  it 
was  from  God  or  from  Satan.  I  sat  down  to  look  out  the 
text,  but  could  not  find  it;  I  then  got  up,  and  went  to  a 
friend  about  two  miles  off,  who  I  knew  had  a  little  Concor- 
dance. I  called  him  up,  and  asked  him  to  look  me  out  such 
a  text,  which  he  accordingly  did.  I  turned  it  down,  put  my 
Bible  into  my  pocket,  and  went  with  him  to  hear  the  gentle- 
man that  was  to  come  from  London.  When  we  came  to 
the  place,  I  saw  a  great  many  people  gathered  together,  and 
the  table  was  set  for  the  preacher  to  stand  on  —  but  behold 
he  never  came !  So  we  waited  till  seven  o'clock,  when  ev- 
ery one  of  those  who  had  formerly  opposed  me,  begged  me 
to  get  up  and  preach.  I  could  not  but  admire  the  divine 
conduct  in  this  matter,  that  those  who  had  opposed  me 
(some  because  my  language  was  bad  —  others,  because  they 
thought  they  had  more  understanding  in  the  word  than  I 
had  —  others,  because  I  was  but  a  babe  in  grace,  and  they 
of  long  standing)  were  the  very  people  who  now  invited  me 
to  preach.  But  here  the  cause  of  God  was  at  stake,  and 
there  was  now  no  answer  in  the  mouth  of  any  of  those  who 
had  opposed  me;  therefore  they  forced  that  person  up, 
whom  they  before  had  tried,  by  their  conduct,  to  pull  down. 
I  complied  with  their  request,  and  went  trembling  up  to  my 
station.  As  soon,  however,  as  my  heart  began  to  get  warm 
in  the  cause,  all  my  fears  left  me.  I  now  delivered  my 
message  from  the  text  God  gave  rne,  and  he  was  with  me  in 
the  work.  Then  it  was  that  some  were  ready  to  cry 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  HI 

"Hosannah!"  However,  they  had  so  battered  me  about, 
that  neither  their  applause  nor  their  disapprobation  had  any 
weight  with  me.  I  often  thought  of  those  words  spoken  by 
Eliphaz  to  Job.  "  Call  now,  if  there  be  any  that  will  an- 
swer thee,  and  to  which  of  the  saints  wilt  thou  turn?" 
Job  v.  1.  Turn !  turn  to  none  but  God,  for,  as  the  most 
upright  among  men  is  but  as  a  brier,  and  sharper  than  a 
thorn  hedge,  we  have  no  reason,  like  Abraham's  ram,  to 
hang  our  horns  in  a  bush,  lest  we  fall  a  sacrifice.  "  Cease 
from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils,"  says  the  Almighty, 
"  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?"  But  there  was  a 
young  widow  who  came  to  hear  me  preach  that  first  ser- 
mon ;  and  Providence  opened  her  heart,  so  that  she  attend- 
ed to  the  things  spoken  by  the  coal-heaver,  and  heard  the 
gospel  constantly  afterward.  At  last  she  was  seized  with 
most  violent  convictions,  being  obliged  to  leave  her  place, 
and  go  home  to  Esher  work-house,  where  a  doctor  was  sent 
for  to  lay  a  blister  on  her  head ;  which  is  not  a  very  proper 
remedy  to  draw  out  the  bane  of  guilt,  where  the  sting  of 
death  has  so  fatally  envenomed  the  conscience.  At  times 
they  found  her  quite  delirious,  and  then  she  called  earnestly 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  then  shook  her,  abused 
her  fcr  praying,  and  declared  her  mad ;  and  when  they 
found  she  had  been  among  the  Methodists,  it  was  easily  ac- 
counted for ;  therefore  they  handled  her  accordingly.  But 
when  she  got  a  little  better,  she  sent  for  me  to  come  and 
pray  by  her,  which  I  accordingly  did  ;  and  then  she  told  me 
of  their  cruel  usage  to  her.  I  spoke  to  my  wife  about  it ; 
and  we  borrowed  a  bed,  and  got  her  home  to  our  house. 
My  dame  nursed  her  body,  and  I  tried  to  nurse  her  soul ; 
soon  after  which  she  got  well  in  body,  and  happy  in  mind. 
Then  she  took  a  lodging,  worked  for  her  bread,  and  contin- 
ued to  sit  under  my  ministry  for  about  six  years.  At  last 


112          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

she  fell  into  a  deep  decline,  and  soon  took  to  her  bed ;  and 
for  two  or  three  days  before  her  death  she  was  violently 
tempted  and  distressed,  even  beyond  measure.  After  this 
she  came  forth  from  that  dark  cloud,  shining  like  the  rising 
sun ;  and  continued  in  these  blessed  rays  of  glory  till  she 
closed  her  eyes  in  death,  launching  forth  into  eternity  in  all 
the  triumph  of  a  gospel  conqueror.  And  here  is  the  end  of 
that  mystery.  The  woman's  name  was  Simmons.  One  of 
the  men  who  forced  me  up  to  deliver  that  sermon  was  Mr. 
Butler,  now  one  of  the  ^ew-openers  at  Providence  chapel. 
During  her  first  sickness  I  promised  to  pay  for  her  board, 
and  for  physic ;  but  alas,  God  kept  me  so  poor  that  I  could 
not!  so  I  sent  to  a  lady  to  do  it  for  me,  arid  told  her  my  re- 
ceipt should  be  her  discharge.  She  readily  complied,  and 
paid  the  whole  bill. 

I  will  now  give  my  reader  an  account  of  another  provi- 
dence. A  person  came  from  Richmond  to  hear  me  preach 
at  Ditton;  and  when  he  returned,  informed  several  persons 
that  he  approved  of  my  ministry.  They  accordingly  sent 
me  an  invitation  to  come  over  to  Richmond  and  help  them ; 
but  I  refused  to  go :  however,  they  sent  for  me  a  second 
time,  when  I  again  refused.  At  last  they  went  to  the  shoe- 
maker I  then  worked  for,  who  persuaded  me  to  go,  but  not 
to  preach  in  the  chapel,  but  in  a  house  that  was  licensed. 
I  went  very  reluctantly  indeed,  but  when  I  came  there,  I 
found  the  Lord's  presence  sweetly  with  me;  and,  at  their 
request,  I  went  again  on  the  Tuesday  following.  Soon  after 
I  found  I  had  done  wrong  in  going  there,  though  God  had 
been  powerfully  with  me;  for  it  carne  to  pass  that  tidings 
had  been  carried  to  London,  and  had  reached  the  ears  of 
two  professing  gentlemen,  who  were  the  managers  of  Rich- 
mond chapel.  Whereupon  they  came  down  to  Richmond 
to  make  inquisition  whether  any  coal-heaver  had  ever  pre- 


'AND   THE   BANK   OF   FAITH.  113 

sumed  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor  souls  at  that  place. 
Upon  inquiry  the  thing  was  found  to  be  certain,  and  the 
tidings  were  true ;  so  the  man  and  woman  at  whose  house  I 
had  preached,  received  a  very  sharp  reprimand,  and  were 
threatened  also  with  the  penal  sum  of  fifty  pounds,  for  let- 
ting me  preach  in  their  house,  because  I  was  not  at  that 
time  properly  licensed.  Soon  after  this  a  day  was  appoint- 
ed for  preaching  and  prayer  at  Richmond  chapel,  and  a 
dinner  ordered  at  an  inn  for  all  the  congregation  that  chose 
to  dine  there,  and  pay  for  it.  Two  ministers  were  appoint- 
ed to  preach  on  that  occasion  —  after  the  commandments  of 
men,  and  not  after  Christ.  An  old  gentleman  took  his  text 
out  of  the  Acts,  and  preached  from  these  words :  "And 
when  Barnabas  saw  the  grace  of  God  he  was  glad,"  &,c. 
Surely  there  was  nothing  in  the  text  against  my  preaching 
at  Richmond,  for  I  was  as  glad  to  see  the  grace  of  God  as 
ever  Barnabas  was.  But  he  turned  his  text  into  a  nose-of- 
wax,  in  order  to  make  it  fit  my  face ;  and  told  the  people 
they  might  readily  suppose  that  Barnabas  had  his  creden- 
tials, or  credential  letters  from  the  elders  that  were  at 
Jerusalem ;  and  so  out  of  that  supposition  he  spun  a  cat-o'- 
nine-tails  to  lash  me  with  —  a  man  whom  he  had  never  seen. 
But  where  I  was  to  go  for  credentials  I  knew  not ;  had  he 
required  credentials  from  God  I  could  have  produced  them. 
Had  I  been  there,  I  think  I  should  have  asked  him  whether 
that  sermon  had  been  from  heaven  or  of  men  :  however,  at 
the  long  run,  it  appeared  to  be  of  men,  because  it  came  to 
naught.  These  things  wonderfully  distressed  and  puzzled 
me;  first,  because  the  people  sent  three  times  after  me 
before  I  would  go  at  all ;  and,  secondly,  the  presence  and 
power  of  God  seemed  so  visible  to  my  comfort,  and  the 
comfort  of  those  that  heard  me ;  and  yet  I  was  puzzled,  that 
these  great  men,  who  were  called  Christians,  should  oppose 
15 


114    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

me  so  much.  The  people,  however,  determined  to  hear 
me ;  and  I  generally  found  God  with  me  in  the  work,  not- 
withstanding which  I  always  went  reluctantly.  In  this 
matter  I  set  off  to  an  arm  of  flesh  for  counsel ;  though  the 
presence  of  God  was  counsel  sufficient,  had  I  been  wise 
enough  to  have  rested  on  it.  However,  I  was  not  as  yet 
weaned  from  an  arm  of  flesh ;  therefore  I  went  to  ask  coun- 
sel at  Abel,  and  so  hoped  to  end  the  matter.  The  counsel 
I  received  from  the  good  man  I  consulted  (after  I  had  rela- 
ted the  whole  circumstance  to  him)  was,  that  I  should  stay 
away  from  preaching  there,  as  it  gave  offence  to  some  great 
men.  I  took  his  advice,  and  came  home  much  eased  in  my 
mind,  and  glad  that  I  could  so  get  my  neck  out  of  the  yoke. 
But,  when  the  Tuesday  following  arrived,  being  the  day  on 
which  I  was  appointed  to  preach  at  Richmond,  I  found  the 
broken  reed  on  which  my  foolish  soul  had  rested  began  to 
give  way,  and  I  sunk  again  into  all  my  distresses.  Then  it 
came  into  my  mind  how  that  God  had  comforted  me  in  the 
work.  And,  if  the  supporting  arm  and  comforting  presence 
of  God  are  not  a  sufficient  testimony  of  God's  approbation, 
we  are  not  likely  to  get  one  from  man.  I  still  doubted, 
however,  whether  I  should  not  offend  God  by  trusting  to 
this  human  counsel ;  thinking,  if  God  had  called  me  to 
preach  at  Richmond,  and  I  should  stay  away  when  the  little 
flock  expected  me,  I  should  much  offend  the  righteous  Maj- 
esty of  heaven,  and  be  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  call  ; 
and,  if  it  was  wrong  for  me  to  go,  I  could  appeal  to  God  I 
had  no  desire  for  it.  As  to  selfish  views,  I  had  none ;  for 
one  night  they  collected  a  parcel  of  money  for  me,  knowing 
how  poor  I  was,  and  how  much  I  had  suffered  in  the  work ; 
which  they  thrust  into  my  pocket  by  force ;  but  I  positively 
refused  it,  and  insisted  on  having  no  more  than  eighteen 
pence  for  my  trouble  in  going  from  Ditton  to  Richmond  to 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  115 

preach.  It  now  came  suddenly  into  my  mind  to  lay  this 
matter  before  my  blessed  Lord  and  Master,  who  never  dis- 
appointed nor  deceived  me  in  his  counsel.  I  therefore  left 
my  cobbling,  went  into  my  chamber,  and  prayed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  :  "  Oh  God,  my  Saviour  and  dear  Redeemer, 
thou  knowest  I  have  no  desire  to  go  and  preach  at  Rich- 
mond, but  the  people  came  after  me  several  times.  If  thou 
hast  any  thing  to  do  there  by  me,  incline  my  heart  to  go, 
let  who  will  oppose  it ;  but,  if  not,  let  not  thy  servant  pre- 
sume, as  my  heart  has  no  desire  to  go  there  :  and,  as  I 
would  not  offend  thy  Majesty  either  by  going  or  staying,  I 
beseech  thee  to  convince  me  by  the  first  scripture  that  oc- 
curs to  my  mind.  Oh  Lord,  reveal  thy  mind  and  will  to 
me  in  this  particular,  and  let  me  not  offend  thee,  as  I  am 
willing  to  obey  thy  voice,  if  thou  art  pleased  to  make  it 
known  to  me.  Amen. 

As  soon  as  I  arose  from  my  knees  these  words  came  with 
power  to  my  mind,  "  Be  not  weary  in  well-doing,  for  in  due 
time  ye  shall  reap  if  ye  faint  not."  This  gave  me  some 
comfort.  But,  when  I  went  and  sat  down  to  my  cobbling 
again,  I  began  to  reason  thus  :  "  Be  not  weary  in  well-do- 
ing —  true  :  but  if  it  is  displeasing  to  God  for  me  to  go  to 
Richmond,  then  it  would  be  well-doing  to  stay  at  home ; 
and,  if  it  be  displeasing  to  God  for  me  to  stay  at  home,  then 
it  would  be  well-doing  for  me  to  go  and  preach  at  Rich- 
mond." So,  like  Gideon,  I  tried  the  fleece  once  more,  and 
said  to  myself  that,  if  God  should  give  a  text  and  a  sermon 
on  it,  I  should  think  it  was  from  him,  and  that  I  had  a  just 
right  to  carry  God's  message.  I  had  no  sooner  made  this  a 
criterion  than  these  words  came  with  power  and  understand- 
ing :  "  And  his  brightness  was  as  the  light :  he  had  horns 
coming  out  of  his  hand  ;  and  there  was  the  hiding  of  his 
power."  Hab.  iii.  3, 4.  The  second  and  third  verses  of  the 


116    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

thirty-third  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  I  found  were  a  key  to 
this  text.  I  therefore  arose  and  went,  being  determined 
to  deliver  that  message  there  at  that  time  only,  and  then  to 
inform  them  that  I  would  come  there  no  more.  But  before 
I  began  to  preach  I  earnestly  begged  of  God  to  comfort  the 
people  greatly,  if  he  approved  of  my  preaching  to  them  ;  and, 
if  not,  that  he  would  send  them  away  dejected,  and  shut  me 
up  till  I  had  little  or  nothing  to  say  to  them.  In  that  night 
God  blessed  us  wonderfully ;  and  when  I  had  done  I  hesita- 
ted whether  I  should  inform  them  of  my  intention  of  not 
coming  again,  as  it  so  offended  the  managers.  But  these 
words  came  to  my  mind  :  "And  he  said  unto  them,  The 
kings  of  the  gentiles  exercise  lordship  over  them  ;  and  they 
that  exercise  authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors. 
But  ye  shall  not  be  so ;  but  he  that  is  greatest  among  you, 
let  him  be  as  the  younger  :  and  he  that  is  chief  as  he  that 
doth  serve."  Luke  xxii.  25,  26.  Having  received  these 
words,  I  published  myself  to  preach  there  again  the  next 
Tuesday;  being  fully  convinced  that  no  proprietor  of  a 
building  had  any  warrant  from  God  to  keep  a  gospel  message 
from  the  ears  and  hearts  of  God's  children,  unless  they  could 
prove  the  messenger  either  erroneous  or  wicked  ;  which 
they  could  not,  for  they  had  never  either  seen  or  heard  me. 
After  I  had  preached  there  a  few  times,  it  came  to  pass 
one  evening,  when  I  had  finished  my  sermon,  that  a  person 
came  to  inform  me  that  a  woman  (who  was  lately  taken  very 
ill,  and  was  apparently  near  death)  desired  to  see  me.  I 
accordingly  went ;  and,  when  I  came  to  her  bedside,  asked 
her  if  she  had  sent  for  me.  She  replied,  "  Yes."  I  asked 
her  what  she  had  sent  for  me  to  do.  She  said  to  pray  by 
her.  I  asked  her  what  I  was  to  pray  for  —  that  she  might 
be  raised  up  again?  She  replied,  "No;  pray  God  to  give 
resignation  to  his  will,  and  that  he  may  not  depart  from  me." 


£-  ;\ 

AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAIT >  '  1J7  ry 

'     ^ 

I  asked  her  if  she  was  sure  the  Lord  was  with  her.  She 
said,  "  Yes."  I  asked  her  how  she  came  by  the  knowledge 
of  God's  comfortable  presence.  She  told  me  she  was  a  na- 
tive of  Scotland,  where  she  had  often  heard  people  speak  of 
their  comforts  and  peace,  but  used  to  envy  them  for  it,  and 
at  other  times  thought  they  spoke  nonsense ;  but  still  she 
found  a  secret  want  of  something,  which  she  had  long  sought ; 
and  she  told  me  that  she  had  never  found  that  power  until  I 
preached  the  sermon  from  the  text  in  Habbakuk  —  "  he  had 
horns  coming  out  of  his  hand,  and  there  was  the  hiding  of 
his  power."  "  Under  that  discourse,"  said  she,  "  the  Spirit 
of  power  came  to  me.  My  husband  is  a  stone-mason,  and  is 
gone  to  Ireland,  to  be  the  foreman  of  a  very  large  building 
there,  and  I  am  in  time  to  go  after  him,  if  God  .spares  my 
life ;  but,  as  my  good  man  has  left  me  for  a  time,  the  Al- 
mighty has  come  in  his  room."  She  now  gave  me  a  very 
sweet  account  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of 
the  precious  liberty  which  he  proclaimed  by  the  revelation 
and  application  of  Christ  crucified  to  her  understanding, 
mind,  and  conscience.  These  tidings  made  my  bowels 
yearn,  as  I  could  call  to  my  remembrance  the  soul-travail  I 
had  been  exercised  with  on  the  day  that  the  text  was  brought 
to  my  mind,  and  the  blessed  mystery  that  was  opened  to  me 
in  it;  as  also  God's  goodness  in  accompanying  it  with  such 
power  to  her  soul,  and  now  to  lay  her  on  a  sick  bed,  that 
she  might  send  for  me,  to  inform  me  that  I  had  not  preached 
nor  travailed  in  vain.  O !  the  conversion  of  such  souls  is 
greater  riches  to  me  than  all  the  treasures  of  Egypt !  God 
in  mercy  soon  after  raised  her  up  again ;  and  she  attended 
my  ministry  for  about  two  years,  appearing  a  most  amiable 
Christian.  She  always  sat  with  her  head  down,  and  heard 
me  with  all  the  attention  imaginable  ;  and,  when  she  had 
got  her  portion,  like  Hannah,  she  would  set  off  without  eith- 
16 


118          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

er  looking  or  speaking  to  any  body,  as  if  she  suspected  ev- 
ery one  that  spoke  to  her  to  be  a  robber  of  her  conscience. 
Indeed  she  was  no  bastard,  she  was  my  own  daughter  —  she 
loved  a  private  religion,  that  lay  between  Christ  crucified 
and  her  own  conscience ;  and  I  believe  she  kept  her  day- 
book very  strictly.  Her  name  is  Stuart.  I  dearly  loved  her 
soul  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  as  I  had  begotten  her,  and  had 
sorely  travailed  for  her. 

She  has  now  been  in  Baron's  Court  in  Ireland  for  several 
years,  a  place  where  there  is  no  gospel  preached ;  yet  she 
corresponds  with  her  pious  friends  at  Richmond,  still  stands 
fast  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  is  shortly  expected  in  Eng- 
land. May  God  land  her  and  her  spouse  safe  on  the  coast 
of  our  Israel,  and  at  last  on  the  shore  of  "  that  land  which 
is  very  far  off." 

The  conversion  of  this  woman  seemed  to  me  such  a  testi- 
mony from  God,  that  it  confirmed  me  more  in  my  call  to 
preach  at  Richmond  than  the  testimony  of  all  the  divines  in 
Britain  would  have  done  ;  for,  "  if  we  receive  the  witness  of 
men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater."  I  hope  never  to  de- 
spise the  former  but  choose  to  stick  close  by  the  latter. 
This  conversion  appeared  .still  more  conspicuous,  as  her 
head  was  well  stocked  with  gospel  notions ;  for  I  have  often 
found  those,  whose  judgments  were  furnished  with  evangel- 
ical creeds,  to  be  the  forwardest  to  laugh  at  those  who  in- 
sisted on  the  force,  the  power,  and  happy  enjoyment,  of  truth 
en  the  souls  of  God's  elect. 

I  shall  now  return  to  my  subject,  of  leaving  Ditton,  and 
coming  to  settle  in  London. 

After  having  seen  so  much  of  the  vision  fulfilled,  I  began 
to  watch  for  the  developement  of  the  words  thick  boughs.  I 
knew  thick  boughs  in  Ezekiel's  prophecy  meant  sinners,  and 
the  boughs  of  the  palm-tree  in  the  song  of  Solomon  meant 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  119 

saints ;  therefore,  if  I  could  see  my  ministry  well  attended, 
either  with  sinners  or  saints,  the  whole  vision  would  appear 
evidently  to  be  from  God ;  for,  if  the  Lord  speaks,  it  is 
done  ;  and,  if  he  commands,  it  comes  to  pass. 

After  I  had  been  some  time  in  London,  I  found  our 
chapel  in  Margaret  street  was  open  to  every  erroneous 
preacher.  This  stirred  up  the  hearts  of  my  hearers  to  look 
out  for  another  place  for  me,  and  very  soon  a  larger  chapel 
was  proposed  to  be  built.  This  still  appeared  to  pave  the 
way  more  and  more  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  words  brought 
to  my  mind,  "  prophesy  on  the  thick  boughs."  The  chapel 
was  soon  erected ;  and  the  good  hand  of  our  God  was  with 
us,  in  the  work,  to  our  comfort.  But  when  it  was  opened,  I 
saw  the  strong  opposition  it  would  meet  with  from  every 
quarter.  This  at  first  rather  surprised  me  ;  but  soon  after 
these  words  returned  on  my  mind,  "  prophesy  on  the  thick 
boughs."  I  was  enabled  to  rest  on  them,  and  gathered 
much  comfort  to  my  soul  from  the  consideration  of  its  being 
opposed ;  for  I  have  ever  observed  that  when  a  work  has 
appeared  to  be  of  God,  it  has  generally  met  with  the  greatest 
opposition;  and  when  a  cause  flourishes  in  the  face  of 
many  opposers,  it  appears  still  plainer  to  be  God's  work. 
The  fewer  human  props  there  are  to  support  the  ark,  the 
clearer  God's  hand  is  perceived ;  for  then  God  appears  to 
work,  and  none  can  let  it,  though  they  try  at  it.  In  this 
way  God  endears  himself  to  the  instrument  he  employs, 
weans  the  instrument  from  the  creature,  and  secures  all  the 
glory  to  himself.  I  have  often  thought  that  if  Martin  Lu- 
ther, John  Burtyan,  or  George  Whitefield,  had  been  alive 
in  my  days,  they  would  rather  have  invited  me,  than  shut 
me  out  of  their  pulpits.  However,  I  believe  I  shall  still 
prophesy  on  the  thick  boughs ;  and  according  to  my  faith, 
so  it  will  be  unto  me.  I  have  found  my  very  soul  at  times 


120    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

melted  down  with  gratitude  at  the  goodness  of  God  to  so 
unworthy  a  creature  as  myself,  when  I  have  heard  that  sev- 
eral good  people  in  London  have  asked  great  men,  employed 
under  God,  to  let  me  preach  in  their  pulpits,  as  Margaret 
street  chapel  was  too  small  for  me ;  but  this  favor  could 
not  be  granted.  I  thought  my  case  was  similar  to  that 
of  poor  sore-eyed  Leah,  who  said,  "  the  Lord  saw  that  I 
was  despised,  therefore  he  gave  me  this  son  also."  And  I 
have  now  reason  to  conclude  with  her,  that  God  hath  endowed 
me  with  a  good  dowry  of  spiritual  children,  though  he  saw 
that  I  was  hated,  and  these  spotted  sheep  shall  be  for  my 
hire  when  they  shall  appear  before  the  Lord ;  so  shall  the 
righteousness  which  I  have  preached  answer  for  me  in  that 
day  when  my  ministry  and  the  seals  of  it  shall  appear  before 
God  to  witness  for  me. 

I  will  now  inform  my  reader  of  the  kind  providence  of 
my  God  at  the  time  of  building  the  chapel,  which  I  named 
Providence  Chapel ;  and  also  mention  a  few  free-will  offer- 
ings which  the  people  brought. 

The  name  that  I  gave  to  the  chapel  has  offended  many. 
However,  since  it  was  named,  I  have  seen  a  place  called 
Providence  Court,  and  a  chapel  called  Trinity  Chapel, 
where- the  Trinity  is  little  known,  I  believe  ;  this  was  not  the 
case  at  the  naming  of  Providence  Chapel. 

But  to  return.  They  first  offered  about  eleven  pounds, 
and  laid  it  on  the  foundation  at  the  beginning  of  the  build- 
ing. A  good  gentleman,  with  whom  I  had  but  little  ac- 
quaintance, and  of  whom  I  bought  a  load  of  timber,  sent 
it  me  in  with  a  bill  and  receipt  in  full,  as  a  present  to  the 
Chapel  of  Providence.  Another  good  man  came  with 
tears  in  his  eyes,  and  blessed  me,  and  desired  to  paint  my 
pulpit,  desk,  &c.,  as  a  present  to  the  chapel.  Another  per- 
son gave  half  a  dozen  chairs  for  the  vestry ;  and  my  friends 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAlTH.  121 

Mr.  and  Mrs  Lion  furnished  me  with  a  tea-chest  well  stored. 


and  a  set  of  china.  My  good  friends  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
furnished  me  with  a  very  handsome  bed,  bedstead,  and  all 
its  furniture  and  necessaries,  that  I  might  not  be  under  the 
necessity  of  walking  home  in  the  cold  winter  nights.  A 
daughter  of  mine  in  the  faith,  gave  me  a  looking-glass  for 
my  chapel-study.  Another  friend  gave  me  my  pulpit-cush- 
ion, and  a  book-case  for  my  study.  Another  gave  me  a 
book-case  ,for  the  vestry.  And  my  good  friend  Mr.  E. 
seemed  to  level  all  his  displeasure  at  the  devil ;  for  he  was 
in  hopes  I  should  be.  enabled,  through  the  gracious  arm  of 
the  Lord,  to  cut  Rahab  in  pieces  ;  therefore  he  furnished 
me  with  a  sword  of  the  spirit  —  a  new  Bible,  with  morocco 
binding  and  silver  clasps.  Perhaps,  too,  he  had  his  eyes 
fixed  on  the  rams'  horns  and  silver  trumpets  that  sounded 
the  destruction  of  Jericho,  which  some  say  typified  two 
sorts  of  ministers  —  the  illiterate  and  the  learned  ;  the  illit- 
erate was  represented  by  the  rams'  horns,  and  the  learned 
by  the  silver  trumpets;  so  according  to  this,  our  blessed 
Lord,  who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  and  all  his  apostles, 
are  jumbled  in  among  the  rams'  horns.  But  I  think,  as  a 
ram's  horn  has  a  very  rough  unpleasing  sound,  it  rather 
typified  the  legal  ministry  under  the  law,  where  so  many 
rams  are  offered ;  and  the  silver  trumpets,  having  a  more 
pleasing  sound,  held  forth  the  evangelical  ministry  under 
the  dispensation  of  the  spirit ;  which  exceeds  the  old  econ- 
omy in  glory  as  much  as  the  sound  of  a  silver  trumpet  doep 
that  of  a  ram's  horn.  The  revelation  of  St.  John  holds 
forth  every  sound  from  the  death  of  Christ  to  the  general 
judgment,  to  be  by  seven  trumpets,  not  horns.  I  think  we 
may  speak  thus  without  offering  any  violence  to  the  scrip- 
tures, and  without  nursing  the  pride  or  pedantry  of  a 
scholar. 


122     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

A  certain  gentleman  some  time  ago  preached  from  Pha- 
raoh's vision  of  the  seven  fat  and  seven  lean  kine.  The 
lean  kine  he  made  out  to  be  poor,  mean,  illiterate  people ; 
and  as  he  had  a  great  many  rich,  dressy  hearers,  he  made 
out  the  fat  kine  and  well-favored  to  hold  forth  the  rich, 
honorable  and  learned  of  the  earth  ;  though  God  says  it  is 
the  rich  that  grind  the  face  of  the  poor,  and  eat  up  his  peo- 
ple as  they  would  eat  bread ;  but  I  never  read  in  all  the 
Bible  that  the  poor  eat  up  the  rich ;  for  I  think  every  poor 
man  in  England  will  hold  with  me  in  this  particular,  that 
the  rich  are  agreed  to  keep  that  person  poor  who  is  poor. 
But  I  shall  return  to  my  subject,  and  leave  these  men-pleas- 
ers  to  themselves ;  as  they  serve  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
but  their  own  bellies ;  and  with  fair  speeches  and  feigned 
words  make  merchandise  of  souls. 

But  I  shall  show  that  I  have  yet  to  speak  on  the  behalf 
of  Providence,  which  was  so  conspicuous  in  furnishing  me 
with  money  necessary  for  building  the  chapel.  I  never 
went  to  one  person  to  borrow  money  for  the  building  who 
denied  me.  God  so  opened  their  hearts,  that  I  was  amazed 
at  his  providence  and  their  kindness  towards  me.  As  for 
my  friend  Mr.  Lloyd,  by  his  cheap  way  of  going  to  work,  I 
believed  he  saved  me  two  or  three  hundred  pounds  at  least ; 
which  I  should  not  have  desired  him  to  have  done  had  I 
been  a  man  of  property ;  for  I  think  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
man,  who  is  able,  to  encourage  trade,  it  being  the  strength 
of  a  nation :  and  it  appears  to  me  that  those  who  make  it 
their  business  to  shake  that  pillar  are  sure  to  pull  down  the 
house  about  their  own  ears.  "  Seek  ye  the  peace  of  the 
city,  for  in  the  peace  thereof  shall  ye  have  peace." 

Some  time  after  these  things,  God  seemed  wholly  to  with- 
draw his  conspicuous  providential  acts;  and  I  began  to  lay 
aside  my  watchfulness  and  daily  dependence  on  his  bounties, 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH  123 

as  my  stated  income  began  to  be  tolerable.  However,  it  is 
the  safest  and  sweetest  way  to  live  from  hand  to  mouth,  as 
say  those  who  speak  in  proverbs ;  for  it  is  impossible  that 
men  should  be  so  grateful  to  God  when  they  have  a  stock 
in  hand  as  when  they  receive  a  daily  supply  from  the  never- 
failing  stock  in  God's  hand.  After  some  little  time  I  was 
forced  to  look  to  htm  again  for  temporals  as  well  as  spirit- 
uals ;  for  as  my  income  increased,  my  family  increased 
also ;  so  that  I  was  shortly  brought  into  as  great  straits 
as  ever :  money  began  to  run  short,  and  clothes  were  want- 
ing. But  God,  who  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary,  was 
pleased  to  appear  in  a  way  of  providence  again  ;  and  after 
this  manner  showed  he  himself. 

I  had  been  doing  a  little  work  in  my  flower  garden,  and 
finding  that  it  wanted  a  few  additional  roots,  I  went  to  a 
garden  at  a  little  distance  from  my  house  to  look  over  a  few 
things.  While  I  was  walking  about  by  myself  among  the 
flowers,  a  well-dressed  motherly-looking  woman  stepped  up 
to  me,  and  supposing  me  to  be  the  gardener,  (for  my  appear- 
ance was  more  like  a  slave  than  a  prelate,)  she  thus  addres- 
sed me  in  a  free  and  jocose  manner  :  "Now  Mr.  Gardener, 
if  you  please,  I  want  a  root  to  put  in  my  pot ;  and  it  must 
be  a  root  that  will  last."  I  looked  up  very  seriously  at  the 
lady,  and  replied,  "  Well,  I  believe  I  can  tell  you  where 
you  may  get  such  a  root."  At  this  answer  she  smilingly 
asked,  "Where?"  I  answered,  "In  the  book  of  Job; 
for  he  says  '  The  root  of  the  matter  is  found  in  me.'  Job 
xix.  28.  And  if  you  can  get  that  root  into  your  pot,  both 
the  root  and  the  pot  will  last  for  ever."  She  then  asked, 
"  And  pray  have  you  got  that  root  in  you  ?  "  I  answered 
her,  "  I  verily  believe  I  have."  Upon  which  she  replied, 
"  It  is  well  with  you,  and  it  is  very  true  what  you  have 
said."  I  then  told  her  that  I  was  not  the  gardener,  but  that 


124 


GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 


she  would  find  him  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  attend- 
ing some  ladies  and  gentlemen.  She  dropped  a  courtesy, 
and  departed  with  a  smile.  I  thought  by  her  pertinent  re- 
ply, that  she  was  not  altogether  ignorant  of  that  wisdom 
which  dwells  with  prudence,  and  finds  out  knowledge  of 
witty  inventions.  Prov.  viii.  12.  And  I  secretly  wished 
that  the  words  which  I  had  spoken  might  dwell  on  her  mind 
until  the  root  of  gospel  love  struck  an  everlasting  fibre 
in  her  heart. 

I  believe  the  lady  above  mentioned  inquired  of  the  gar- 
dener who  I  was ;  for  soon  after  both  she  and  her  spouse 
came  to  hear  me,  and  have  continued  so  to  do  ever  since. 
God  grant  that  the  word  of  his  grace  may  take  deep  root  in 
their  hearts,  that  they  may  be  "  trees  of  righteousness,  the 
right-hand  planting  of  God,  that  he  may  be  glorified." 

Some  time  after  this  there  came  a  person  to  my  house, 
and  left  a  letter,  the  contents  of  which  were  as  follow : 

"  SIR, 

I  wish  you  would  be  at  home  on  such  a  day,  if  conve- 
nient ;  as  a  person  will  call  to  measure  you  for  a  great  coat, 
which  you  are  desired  to  accept,  and  to  ask  no  questions  of 
the  person  who  comes  to  measure  you,"  &-c. 

I  looked  upon  this  letter  as  sent  from  some  enemy  to  the 
gospel  of  Christ ;  because  it  came  soon  after  my  Bank  of 
Faith  had  made  its  appearance  in  the  world ;  and  I  daily 
heard  of  some  professor  or  other  ridiculing  it,  because  I 
had  therein  taken  notice  of  very  insignificant  things,  at 
least  in  their  opinion.  However,  had  they  been  exercised 
with  a  hungry  belly,  as  the  prophet  Elijah  was,  they  would 
have  been  glad  of  a  cake  baked  with  two  sticks,  and  have 
thanked  God  for  commanding  the  widow  woman  to  sustain 
him  with  that.  1  Kings,  xvii.  9.  The  Holy  Ghost  though 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  125 

this  kind  providence  of  God,  which  appeared  in  sending  the 
prophet  that  cake,  worthy  of  being  recorded  in  divine  rev- 
elation :  if  so,  what  kind  of  spirit  must  those  professors  be 
of,  who  deem  the  special  and  minute  interference  of  Provi- 
dence worthy  only  of  their  public  scorn  and  contempt? 
Such  men  are  rebuked  even  by  the  brute  creation ;  for  "  the 
ox  knovveth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib,"  but 
the  carnal  professor  knovveth  not  the  God  of  his  mercies ; 
and  although  he  loves  the  crib,  yet  he  doth  not  consider 
who  it  is  that  keeps  his  crib  full. 

Some  bought  my  book  on  purpose  to  laugh  at  it ;  and 
then  lent  it  to  others  for  them  to  do  the  same,  to  whom  God 
blessed  it ;  and  who,  instead  of  laughing  at  it,  wept  over  it, 
and  had  their  faith  encouraged  by  it.  Those  gentlemen 
acted  the  part  of  the  pharisees  in  the  Saviour's  days,  who 
would  not  accept  of  his  grace  themselves,  yet  were  made 
instrumental  in  bringing  the  poor  adulterous  woman  to  him. 
And,  when  such  persons  called  on  those  to  whom  they  lent 
my  book,  and  learned  how  they  approved  of  it,  they  (like 
the  pharisees)  sneaked  away  as  soon  as  conscience  had 
done  her  office.  Wisdom's  children  will  justify  their  ven- 
erable mother,  and  disdain  to  slight  the  breasts  that  have 
afforded  them  perpetual  nourishment,  or  to  accuse  a  poor 
preacher  for  endeavoring  to  encourage  the  faith  of  his  pjoor 
brethren,  by  displaying  the  parental  care,  tender  regard, 
and  narrow  inspection,  of  God  in  his  universal  providence. 
I  know  the  word  of  God  bears  me  out  in  it,  and  much  far- 
ther than  I  have  gone ;  for  I  have  taken  no  notice  of  the 
hairs  of  our  head,  which  Christ  says  are  all  numbered,  and 
not  one  shall  ever  be  lost ;  nay,  he  affirms  that  there  shall 
not  a  hair  of  our  head  perish.  Luke  xxi.  18.  But  alas  ! 
such  men  are  not  acquainted  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  nor 
with  the  word  of  God ;  if  they  were,  they  would  acknowl- 


126          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

edge  the  tender  mercies  of  God  to  be  over  all  his  works ; 
Psalm  cxlv.  9 ;  and  his  love,  seen  in  executing  judgment 
for  the  fatherless  and  the  widow,  and  even  to  the  stranger 
in  giving  him  food  and  raiment.  Deut.  x.  18. 

Indeed  it  is  not  worth  my  while  to  take  notice  of  such 
professors,  or  even  to  regard  their  reproaches ;  for  no  per- 
son's heart  can  ever  be  right  with  God  who  laughs  at  his 
word  or  works ;  nor  can  they  fare  any  better  for  their  con- 
tempt of  the  truth  than  the  pharisees  did,  who  came  to 
accuse  the  poor  woman  even  before  Christ  himself,  whom 
heaven  had  appointed  for  her  wonderful  counsellor  and 
ever-prevailing  advocate. 

But  to  return  to  my  subject.  I  was  deceived  in  supposing 
that  the  letter  was  sent  as  a  trap  to  keep  me  at  home  on 
such  a  day,  that  they  might  have  to  laugh  at  my  vain  expec- 
tation, as  I  conjectured;  for  it  was  sent  by  a  friend;  and 
the  man  came  as  was  appointed  to  measure  me  for  a  great 
coat.  I  asked  who  sent  him.  He  told  me  that  was  to  be 
kept  secret.  But,  as  I  suspected  the  letter  to  be  a  cheat 
sent  by  some  enemy,  I  insisted  on  knowing  who  sent  him. 
He  then  said  that  he  was  sent  by  a  woman  who  once  asked 
me  for  a  root  to  put  in  her  pot.  I  told  him  that  I  had  got 
two  very  good  great  coats,  but  stood  in  need  of  a  close- 
bodied  one ;  and,  if  the  lady  thought  proper  to  make  me  a 
present  of 'such,  I  should  be  obliged  to  her ;  but  that  I  had 
no  need  of  a  great  coat.  The  man  measured  me,  and 
brought  me  the  coat  home.  I  offered  him  a  small  present 
for  his  trouble;  but  he  refused  it,  saying,  that  he  had 
received  orders  not  to  take  any  thing.  Christian  reader, 
give  God  the  glory  for  his  wonderful  works,  and  let  not 
fortune  and  luck  rob  him  of  his  honor.  "  Jesus  we  know, 
but  who  are  they?" 

Some  have  objected  to  my  book,  saying,  that  asking  for 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  127 

carnal  things  shows  a  carnal  heart.  It  is  true,  that,  if  a  man 
follows  Christ  for  loaves  and  fishes,  it  certainly  does.  But 
for  a  believer  in  Christ  and  a  laborer  in  the  vineyard  to  ask 
his  heavenly  Father  to  bless  the  work  of  his  hands  and  to 
send  him  food  and  raiment,  shows  just  as  much  carnality  as 
the  Saviour's  looking  up  to  heaven  for  a  blessing  to  multiply 
the  barley  loaves  to  feed  his  hungry  followers,  when  he  said, 
"  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude  ;  I  will  not  send  them 
away  fasting,  lest  they  faint  by  the  way."  Mark  viii.  23. 

The  man  that  robs  God  of  his  glory,  and  makes  a  god  of 
his  money,  shows  more  carnality  than  he  does  who  prays 
for  neither  poverty  nor  riches,  but  to  be  fed  with  food  con- 
venient for  him,  lest  he  be  full  and  deny  God  (by  giving 
glory  to  his  own  wisdom  or  good  luck;)  or  lest  he  be  poor, 
and  steal,  and  take  God's  name  in  vain,  (to  escape  the  whip 
or  the  pillory.)  Prov.  xxx.  8,  9. 

I  found  at  times  a  great  desire  to  read  some  old  com- 
mentators, in  order  to  see  how  my  judgment  agreed  with 
theirs  in  some  particular  texts  of  scripture.  And,  when  I 
have  heard  of  a  book  being  published,  I  have  found  a  great 
desire  to  have  it,  if  I  thought  the  author  was  sound.  This 
bookish  fit,  coming  often  upon  me,  drained  my  pocket  of 
now  and  then  a  guinea,  which  I  wanted  more  ways  than 
one.  In  short,  I  found  buying  of  books  to  be  like  Solo- 
mon's account  of  compiling  them,  "In  making  many  books 
there  is  no  end  ;"  nor  is  there  any  end  in  buying  of  them, 
except  you  have  plenty  of  money  to  go  to  market  with. 
However,  the  Almighty  condescended  to  stop  the  rapid 
spreading  of  this  disease  by  a  singular  circumstance.  I 
received  the  following  note  from  an  unknown  friend : 

"  MR.  ANTI-ARMINIUS'S  free-grace  love  to  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton,  begs  his  acceptance  of  a  dish  of  dead  men's  brains ; 


128    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

he  believes  most  of  them  are  of  the  evangelical  family ; 
they  will  be  with  him  in  a  day  or  two:  he  is  desired  to  ask 
no  questions  of  the  bearers. 

"  Dead-man's  Place,"  &c. 

What  these  dead  men's  brains  were  I  could  not  conjec- 
ture ;  but  suspected  something  to  be  sent  by  way  of  con- 
tempt, as  the  doctrines  which  God  hath  taught  me  are  point 
blank  against  arminianism.  ^Howbeit,  in  a  day  or  two  the 
dead  men's  brains  arrived  in  a  very  large  packing-case, 
brought  by  two  chairmen  ;  which  I  at  first  refused  to  take 
in,  suspecting  an  arminian  cheat ;  however,  I  opened  the 
skull,  examined  the  brains,  and  found  them  to  be  three  or 
four  hundred  volumes  of  divinity,  geography,  history,  &c. 

A  few  days  afterwards  he  was  pleased  to  send  me  another 
dish  of  brains,  or  a  second  course  ;  which  he  informed  me, 
by  note,  consisted  of  some  good  and  some  bad.  And  so  I 
found  them,  for,  among  others,  were  the  tracts  of  the  irrev- 
erent Dr.  Priestley,  clothed  in  a  suit  of  red  morocco, 
embroidered  with  gold.  I  had  not  read  much  of  him  before 
his  priestly  craft  greatly  disgusted  me.  I  stripped  him  out 
of  his  coat  of  many  colors,  and  served  it  as  I  think  Christ 
will  serve  the  author  ;  that  is,  I  cut  it  asunder,  and  appointed 
it  a  portion  in  the  fire,  as  the  Lord  will  do  with  all  hypo- 
crites and  unbelievers.  I  confess  I  was  much  displeased  to 
find  some  precious  old  authors,  who  were  administering 
comfort  to  the  people  of  God,  with  nothing  but  a  sheep's 
skin  jacket  about  them ;  while  the  doctor,  that  sworn  enemy 
to  the  God  of  armies,  (busy  in  undermining  and  destroying 
that  comfort,)  was  strutting  about  with  an  embroidered 
uniform  !  "  Ah,  doctor  !"  thought  I,  "  I  will  put  this  scar- 
let suit  on  one  of  these  old  warriors  who  have  been  good 
soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ;  they  shall  .walk  in  embroidery, 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  129 

for  they  are  worthy."  There  were  a  few  more  sly  hypo- 
crites crept  in  among  them,  to  whom  I  gave  house-room 
until  I  found  them  out,  when  I  sent  them  bag  and  baggage 
after  the  doctor. 

This  present  of  books  served  to  quench  my  bookish  thirst 
for  the  time  being ;  for  they  will  take  me  two  or  three  years 
to  read  over,  sort  out,  and  vamp  up  ;  and  then  perhaps  the 
fit  may  take  me  again.  Who  the  friend  was  that  sent  them 
to  me  I  know  not,  nor  do  I  believe  he  intends  I  ever  shall. 

Some  time  after  I  received  these  dead  men's  brains,  God 
was  pleased  to  lay  his  afflicting  hand  upon  my  body,  and  to 
bring  me  very  low ;  so  that,  as  it  were,  he  laid  me  aside  for 
a  month.  To  this  I  very  reluctantly  submitted,  being  very 
poor  in  pocket.  My  wife  and  eldest  daughter  were  also 
taken  ill  at  the  same  time.  However,  the  morrow  took 
thought  for  the  things  of  itself;  for  in  a  day  or  two  a  person 
brought  me  a  guinea,  another  two  guineas  ;  and  a  few  days 
after  a  lady  sent  me  six :  so  that  God  paid  me  my  wages 
while  I  lay  useless,  the  same  as  if  I  had  been  bearing  the 
burden  of  the  day. 

I  learned  one  blessed  lesson  in  this  affliction,  agreeable 
to  that  holy  text  which  affirms  that  "  all  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  god,  and  are  the  called  according 
to  his  purpose."  For  during  my  illness  I  was  several  nights 
insensible,  while  the  fever  was  at  its  height :  and,  during  the 
time  that  I  was  in  a  state  of  insensibility  as  to  every  thing 
around  me,  I  discerned  a  most  glorious  ray  of  divine  light, 
which  shone  conspicuously  on  the  covenant  of  grace  agreed 
on  in  the  ancient  council  and  settlements  of  the  Trinity, 
sweetly  executed  of  the  stability  of  it  to  poor  penitent  sin- 
ners :  and,  to  be  plain,  I  had  no  doubt  of  my  own  interest 
in  it.  This  taught  me  a  lesson  which  I  had  long  wished  to 
learn,  having  often  thought  with  myself,  "  Suppose  I  should 
17 


130          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

die  delirious  in  a  high  fever,  or  go  out  of  the  world  without 
the  use  of  my  rational  faculties,  how  would  it  be  then '? " 
I  now  clearly  saw,  by  this  glorious  display  of  divine  light, 
during  my  state  of  insensibility,  that  the  holy  and  blessed 
Spirit  of  God  can,  and  I  believe  often  does,  operate  as  the 
candle  of  the  Lord,  as  the  Spirit  of  love  and  of  power, 
and  make  his  glory  appear  fresh  in  us,  even  if  we  are  delir- 
ious ;  as  saith  the  Psalmist,  "  My  heart  and  my  flesh  fail  ; 
but  the  Lord  is  the  strength  of  rny  heart,  and  my  portion 
for  ever."  In  which  words  I  presume  something  more  is 
meant  than  simply  heart  and  flesh  in  a  natural  sense ;  for 
neither  heart  nor  flesh  can  support  a  soul  in  a  trying  or 
dying  hour. 

The  sweet  and  bright  views  which  I  had  during  my  illness 
grew  fainter  as  I  recovered,  though  there  still  appeared  a 
glimmering  ray  of  it  at  a  distance ;  yet  I  could  riot  collect 
my  views  so  as  to  form  them  into  a  sermon.  But  it  afforded 
me  great  satisfaction  to  think  of  the  condescension  of  God, 
who  has  promised  to  make  our  bed  in  our  sickness ;  and 
that,  as  our  days  are,  so  shall  our  strength  be.  For  my 
part,  I  comfortably  believed  that  a  soul,  once  effectually 
enlightened  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  shall  never  totally  lose  sight 
of  the  covenant  again ;  as  appears  by  the  prophets,  who 
even  in  their  darkest  seasons  spoke  the  most  glorious  truths. 
O !  happy  and  blessed  is  that  soul  upon  whom  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  has  risen  with  healing  in  his  beams;  such 
shall  find  the  Lor^  to  be  their  everlasting  light,  and  their 
sun  shall  no  more  go  down. 

I  once  had  a  most  glorious  view  of  a  passage  in  the  book 
of  Daniel  during  a  fit  of  sickness  which  I  had  at  Thames- 
Ditton.  The  text  that  occurred  to  my  mind  was  this  ;  "  I 
saw  in  the  night  visions ;  and,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  An- 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  131 

cient  of  Days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him." 
Dan.  vii.  13.  This  text  rolled  over  my  mind  perpetually 
during  a  great  part  of  m'y  illness,  bringing  great  light  and 
comfort  with  it ;  and  led  me  to  see  the  clear  and  concise 
views  that  the  old  testament  saints  had  of  the  blessed  Sa- 
viour. One  of  them  saw  conspicuously  his  ancient  under- 
taking in  the  eternal  council  of  the  Trinity;  and  his  goings 
forth  from  of  old,  yea,  from  everlasting.  Mic.  v.  2.  An- 
other had  clear  views  of  his  coming  to  assume  human 
nature.  — "  Burnt-offerings,  and  offerings  for  sin,  thou 
wouldst  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me."  Another 
saw  his  birth,  and  says,  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us 
a  son  is  given."  Another  saw  Herod,  that  wretched  blood- 
hound, grinning  like  a  dog,  pursuing  or  chasing  the  "  hind 
of  the  morning."  Another  represents  Rachael  as  weeping 
in  Ramah  over  her  slaughtered  grand-children ;  the  offspring 
of  her  Benoni,  the  son  of  her  sorrow.  Another  saw  Joseph 
and  Mary  bring  the  young  child  out  of  Egypt,  and  says, 
"  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called  my  son."  Another  saw  him 
sitting  among  the  doctors,  and  mentions  the  first  text  that 
he  publicly  handled,  "  The  Spirit  of  God  is  upon  me,"  &c. 
Another  saw  his  harbinger  John  preparing  his  way  before 
him,  and  making  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord. 
Another  saw  him  tempted  in  the  wilderness,  &c.,  and  at 
last  placed  on  the  ^nnacle  of  the  temple  ;  and  says,  "  He 
shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee,  and  in  their 
hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up,  lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against 
a  stone."  Another  saw  him  in  the  ministry,  spreading  his 
glorious  light  and  truth  ;  and  says,  "  The  land  of  Naphtali, 
&c.,  the  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great 
light ;  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
upon  them  hath  {he  light  shined."  Zachariah  saw  Judas 
selling  his  master;  and  tells  the  rabbis  who  bought  his 


132          GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

blood  to  cast  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver  to  the  potter.  Da- 
vid saw  the  band  of  soldiers  apprehending  him  in  the 
garden,  and  going  back  and  falling  to  the  ground,  when 
Jesus  said,  "  Whom  seek  ye  1 "  and  says,  "  When  they 
came  to  eat  up  my  flesh  they  stumbled  and  fell."  Isaiah 
saw  him  nailed  to  the  cross  "  as  a  nail  fastened  in  a  sure 
place,"  that  every  vessel  of  mercy,  even  from  the  cups  to 
the  flagons,  might  hang  all  their  hopes  on  him  with  safety. 
And  all  the  glory  of  their  salvation  must  hang  there  too. 
Isa.  xxii.  23 — 25.  David  beholds  this,  and  says,  "They 
have  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet;  I  may  tell  all  my 
bones;  they  stare  and  look  upon  me."  Psalm  xxii.  16,  17. 
David  hears  his  confession  and  complaint,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  Psalm  xxii.  1.  And 
expresses  the  cruel  insults  of  his  murderers,  which  were 
afterwards  repeated,  "  He  trusted  in  God  that  he  would 
deliver  him ;  let  him  deliver  him,  seeing  he  delighted  in 
him."  He  saw  them  giving  him  gall  for  his  meat,  and 
vinegar  for  his  drink  ;  parting  his  garments  among  them, 
and  casting  lots  upon  his  vesture ;  and  after  that  yielding 
up  his  spirit  to  God,  and  sinking  into  the  shades  of  death. 
Isaiah  saw  his  resurrection,  and  says,  (speaking  by  his 
spirit,)  "With  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise."  Hosea  saw 
him  vanquishing  death  ;  "  O  Death,  I  will  be  thy  plague ! 
O  Grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction !  Rlpentance  shall  be 
hid  from  mine  eyes."  David  saw  him  ascend,  after  he  had 
captured  the  devil,  sin,  death,  and  the  world ;  saying,  "  He 
hath  ascended  on  high,  he  hath  led  captivity  captive,  and 
received  gifts  from  men,  yea,  for  the  rebellious  also,  that 
the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them."  David  also  saw 
him  enter  the  royal  pavilions  of  heaven,  when  he  says, 
"  Lift  up  your  heads,  ye  gates;  and  be  lifted  up,  ye  ever- 
lasting doors  ;  and  the  King  of  Glory  shall  enter  in."  This 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  133 

was  prefigured  when  the  ark  was  brought  into  the  taberna- 
cle in  Zion  ;  and  realized  when  the  anti-typical  Ark  ascended 
to  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  as  "  a  minister  of 
the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true  tabernacle  which  God  pitched, 
and  not  man."  Heb.  viii.  2,  David  likewise  hears  the 
heavenly  anthems  sung ;  "  Who  is  the  King  of  Glory  ? 
The  Lord  of  Hosts;  mighty  in  battle."  He  then  reflects 
on  his  own  blessed  hope,  saying,  "  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when 
I  awake,  with  thy  likeness."  Psalm  xvii.  15. 

Daniel's  faith  takes  him  up  where  David  left  him ; 
namely,  just  as  he  ascended ;  and  saw  the  son  of  man  come 
with  the  clouds  of  heaven.  By  which  may  be  meant,  first, 
the  cloud  that  received  him  out  of  the  apostles'  sight.  But 
the  angelic  host,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect, 
seem  chiefly  to  be  intended  here ;  the  cloud  of  witnesses 
with  which  we  are  compassed  about.  Heb.  xii.  1.  Who 
fled  as  a  cloud  to  the  rock  of  ages,  or  "as  the  doves  to 
their  windows."  Isa.  Ix.  S.  And  who,  like  a  cloud,  fled, 
and  spread  their  heavenly  testimony  among  men,  while 
"  their  doctrines  dropped  as  the  rain,  and  their  speech  dis- 
tilled as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender  herb, 
and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass."  Deut.  xxxii.  2. 

"  He  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the 
Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him." 
Dan.  vii.  13.  The  angels  attended  his  glorious  Majesty  as 
their  confirmative  Head  ;  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect  followed  him  as  their  Redeemer,  Saviour,  and  Al- 
mighty Deliverer ;  and  attended  him  to  the  Ancient  of 
days ;  and  in  all  the  glorious  acclamations  of  heaven  they 
brought  their  glorious  Head  near  before  him ;  mercy  and 
truth  being  met  together,  righteousness  and  peace  having 
kissed  each  other.  The  grand  Creditor  was  well  pleased 
at  the  infinite  satisfaction  given  by  the  Surety,  while  all  the 
18 


134     GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

hosts  of  heaven  attended  the  solemn  coronation  of  the 
King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of  lords,  who  appeared  in  his 
garments  (of  human  nature)  dipped  in  blood. 

This  was  typified  by  the  coronation  of  Solomon  while 
the  acclamations  of  the  attendants  made  the  earth  ring 
again.  But  it  was  verified  at  the  coronation  of  Christ  after 
he  had  vanquished  all  his  enemies ;  there  was  "  a  crown 
given  unto  him ;  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  to  con- 
quer." Rev.  vi.  2.  Or,  as  it  is  in  Daniel  vii.  14,  "  There 
was  given  him  dominion  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom;  that 
all  the  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him  ; 
his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not 
pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  de- 
stroyed." 

The  triumphant  church  above,  who  is  the  mother  of  us 
all,  is  the  mother  of  Christ  also,  as  touching  his  human 
nature ;  even  as  Christ's  Father  is  our  Father  (John  xx. 
17)  by  spiritual  regeneration.  Of  Zion  it  shall  be  said, 
that  he  was  born  in  her,  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  6;  even  as  we  are  said 
to  be  born  of  God,  John  i.  .13.  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews, 
John  iv.  22 ;  "  of  them,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ 
came,  who  is  over  all  God  blessed  for  ever."  Rom.  iv.  5. 
And  it  is  plain  that  his  venerable  mother,  the  triumphant 
church,  dropped  her  crown  before  him,  and  crowned  him 
with  the  praise  and  glory  of  all  her  salvation  at  his  glorious 
coronation,  when  God  set  his  king  upon  his  holy  hill  of 
Zion.  Ps.  ii.  6.  And  we  must,  while  here  below,  copy  after 
her,  and  submit  to  the  sovereignty  of  his  grace,  his  mental 
government,  and  eternal  reign.  "  Go  forth,  oh  ye  daugh- 
ters of  Zion,  and  behold  king  Solomon  with  the  crown, 
wherewith  his  mother  crowned  him  on  the  day  of  his  es- 
pousals, and  on  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart." 
Song  iii.  11. 


AND     THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  135 

He  ascended  his  throne  as  David's  son  hereditary,  and  as 
a  lamb  slain,  to  show  that  he  was  to  appear  as  a  perfect  sac- 
rifice once,  for  all  his  members;  and  now  as  an  everliving 
interceding  priest,  to  make  intercession  for  us ;  "  He  shall 
be  a  priest  upon  his  throne,  and  the  counsel  of  peace  shall 
be  between  them  both."  Zech.  vi.  13.  So  that  "  he  ever 
lives  to  make  intercession  for  us." 

Thus  God  led  me  to  trace  the  blessed  Saviour  up  to  his 
glorious  exaltation  on  his  throne  —  a  blessed  view !  —  to  see 
his  human  nature  (which  is  a  part  of  ours)  exalted  so  high, 
"  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  do- 
minion, and  every  name  that  is  named."  Eph.  i.  21.  His 
being  a  lamb  slain,  shows  him  to  be  both  a  sacrifice  and  a 
priest ;  and  his  throne  shows  his  divine  sovereignty,  as  it  is 
written,  "  And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
stood  a  lamb,  as  it  had  been  slain,  having  seven  horns  and 
seven  eyes."  The  seven  horns  were  represented  to  me  as 
showing  his  perfect  and  universal  dominion,  or  as  repre- 
senting his  seven-fold  government.  First,  he  is  "  king  of 
glory."  Ps.  xxiv.  10.  Secondly,  he  is  "  king  of  Zion."  Ps. 
ii.  6.  Thirdly,  he  is  "king  of  nations."  Jer.  x.  7.  Fourthly, 
he  is  "  king  of  [all  earthly]  kings."  Rev.  xix.  16.  Fifthly, 
as  the  God  of  armies,  he  is  king  over  all  devils.  Eph.  iv.  8. 
Sixthly,  as  the  Holy  One,  he  is  king  over  all  sin.  Rom.  vi. 
14.  And,  seventhly,  as  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  he  is 
king  over  dgath;  Hosea  xiii.  14;  or  the  lord  of  life  and 
death  ;  Rom.  xiv.  9.  This  is  thy  king,  O  Zion,  who  once 
came  unto  thee  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  on  a  colt,  the  foal 
of  an  ass ;  who  is  now  risen,  exalted,  and  crowned. 

God  the  Father  delivers  the  book  with  all  its  seals  into 
his  hand ;  containing  the  Father's  will,  the  number  and 
names  of  all  the  elect,  and  all  the  promises  made  to  Christ 
and  his  seed,  which  were  these  —  First,  God  promised  that 


136    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

of  the  fruit  of  David's  body  he  would  raise  up  Christ  to  sit 
on  David's  throne,  and  build  up  his  throne  to  all  genera- 
tions ;  a  throne  of  grace  to  all  generations  of  the  cbvenant 
line ;  or  all  generations  shall  submit  to  his  iron  rod,  or 
peaceable  sceptre.  This  you  see  is  fulfilled ;  he  is  crowned 
and  seated  upon  the  throne  of  David  according  to  the  pro- 
mise, "  Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end ;  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his 
kingdom,  to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment  and 
with  justice,  from  henceforth  even  for  ever.  The  zeal  of 
the  Lord  of  hosts  will  perform  (hath  performed)  this." 
Isa.  ix.  7. 

Secondly,  That  he  would  give  him  the  heathen  for  his 
inheritance,  and  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  pos- 
session. Not  that  all  the  human  race  are  the  special  gift  of 
God  the  Father  to  him,  nor  were  all  redeemed  by  him ;  for 
all  are  not  sheep  No :  but  God  gave  him  power  over  all 
flesh,  (to  awe  and  control  them,)  that  he  might  give  eternal 
life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  hath  given  him.  John  xvii.  2. 

Thirdly,  The  Father  promised  to  give  him  the  sure  mer- 
cies of  David.  These  mercies,  given  to  him  as  a  federal 
head,  were  to  be  sure  to  all  his  seed,  or  offspring ;  for  lov- 
ing-kindness is  never  to  be  taken  from  him,  nor  the  faith- 
fulness of  God  to  fail  them.  This  mercy,  given  to  him  as 
a  federal  head,  was  given  to  him  as  a  king  likewise,  and  is 
secured  to  all  his  subjects ;  so  that  it  is  to  terminate  in  one 
single  kingdom  —  a  kingdom  that  will  outlive  all  other 
kingdoms,  and  be  a  proof  against  all  revolutions  and  com- 
motions whatever ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Once  more  I  shake 
not  only  earth,  but  heaven  ;  but  we,  having  received  a  king- 
dom that  cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace  whereby  we 
may  serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear." 
Heb.  xiii.  27,  28.  This  kingdom  shall  surely  demolish  all 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  137 

these  earthly  kingdoms,  and  make  them  like  the  chaff  of 
the  summer's  threshing  floor;  survive  them  all,  and  appear 
the  only  kingdom  in  the  "  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  Thus  "  mercy  shall  be 
built  up  for  ever,  and  [God's]  faithfulness  shall  be  estab- 
lished in  the  very  heavens."  Ps.  Ixxxix.  2. 

Fourthly,  God  promised  that  the  Saviour  should  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied  —  that  the  pleasures  of 
the  Lord  should  prosper  in  his  hand  —  that  kings  should 
shut  their  mouths  at  him ;  and  that  he  should  have  dominion 
fro-m  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
That  every  chosen  vessel  should  be  gathered  by  him,  and 
gathered  to  him  as  their  proper  head;  —  be  governed  by 
him  as  their  rightful  sovereign,  and  wait  for  his  second  com- 
ing, as  the  grand  accomplished  of  the  whole  divine  scheme 
of  man's  salvation  and  glorification. 

Then  he  shall  appear  to  be  admired  by  all  that  know  and 
love  the  truth,  when  the  world  shall  be  destroyed,  the  mys- 
tery of  God  finished,  the  church  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  king ;  in  which  will  be  manifested  the  secret  intention 
of  God,  which  was  to  display  "  the  riches  of  his  grace  in 
glory  by  Christ  Jesus." 

The  angels  above,  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect ;  who  are  perfect  in  knowledge  when  compared  to  us, 
understanding  these  things  better  than  we  can  in  this  state 
of  ignorance,  seem  wonderfully  enraptured  at  the  exaltation 
and  coronation  of  their  great  Confirmer  and  Deliverer  ;  and 
each  host,  both  angels  and  glorified  souls,  sung  their  corona- 
tion carols.  The  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  began 
first,  as  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  keep  silence  when  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  appeared  in  human  nature,  as  one  that  had 
trod  a  wine  vat ;  or  as  a  man  of  war,  with  his  garments  roll- 
ed in  blood.  They  saw  the  scars  of  war  on  his  humanity, 


138    GOD  THE  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  POOR, 

and  the  sword  of  eternal  victory  by  his  side,  a  proof  of  his 
Deity.  "  He  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name 
written,  King  of  kings,  arid  Lord  of  lords."  Rev.  xix.  16 
I  say  the  redeemed  first  began  their  carol.  "This  was  pre- 
figured when  he  rode  triumphant  into  Jerusalem  on  an  ass ; 
the  multitudes  pulling  off  their  clothes,  covering  the  ass, 
spreading  boughs,  casting  their  garments  in  the  way,  and 
crying,  "  Save,  Lord,  we  beseech  thee," —  or,  "  We  beseech 
thee,  send  prosperity."  But  it  was  realized  when  Jesus  en- 
tered the  heavenly  Jerusalem  above ;  not  on  an  ass,  but  in 
the  triumphant  chariot  of  an  Almighty  Conqueror  ;  and 
where  he  received  the  kingdom,  while  his  enemies  in  local 
Jerusalem  sent  after  him  saying,  "  We  will  not  have  this 
man  to  reign  over  us."  But  when  he  had  received  the 
kingdom  he  sent  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those 
murderers,  and  burnt  up  their  city.  Luke  xii.  12.  Matt, 
xxii.  7. 

When  the  Saviour  entered  the  earthly  Jerusalem  he  said, 
if  his  infant  attendants  held  their  peace,  the  stones  would 
immediately  cry  out;  —  how  much  more  when  he  entered 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  where  all  knew  his  divine  majesty, 
his  super-excellent  amiableness,  and  what  he  had  done  for 
them  !  They  did  not  deride  him,  refuse  him,  nor  withhold 
divine  homage  from  him ;  but  began  their  triumphant  an- 
them (or  songs)  without  hesitation,  when  the  solemnity 
of  his  coronation,  was  ended.  And  he  came  and  took  the 
book  out  of  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  throne  ; 
"  And  when  he  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  beasts,  (or  rep- 
resentatives of  all  the  hosts  of  gospel  witnesses,  including 
both  ministers  and  people  —  but  chiefly  ministers,)  and  the 
four  and  twenty  elders,  (or  twelve  patriarchs  and  twelve 
apostles,  the  natural  and  ministerial  foundation  of  the  Jew- 
ish and  Gentile  churches,  as  representatives  of  them  both,) 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  139 

fell  down  before  the  Lamb ;  having  every  one  of  them  harps, 
and  golden  vials  full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers  of 
saints.  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art 
worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof;  for 
thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood, 
out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation ; 
and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests,  and  we 
shall  reign  on  the  earth."  And  indeed  the  militant  church, 
whom  they  represent,  does  reign  on  the  earth,  through 
grace ;  but  in  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth  they  shall 
reign  without  an  enemy,  and  their  king  without  a  rival. 

The  angels'  coronation  carol  comes  next,  and  ends  with 
a  united  chorus.  "  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  the  voice  of 
many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts  and  the 
elders ;  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand  and  thousand  of  thousands ;  saying,  with  a  loud 
voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  pow- 
er, (to  govern;)  and  riches,  (to  endow;)  and  wisdom,  (to 
direct ;)  and  strength,  (to  support ;)  and  honor,  (as  an  ever- 
lasting Father;)  and  glory,  (as  the  God  of  all  salvation;) 
and  blessing,"  (as  the  sinner's  loving,  immutable,  and  best 
friend.)  Rev.  v.  12. 

Now  comes  the  united  chorus  ;  —  some  hymn  his  glorious 
grace,  some  his  creation  work,  and  some  his  universal  provi- 
dence ;  which  is  echoed  from  the  heavens,  the  church,  the 
world,  and  the  sea.  "  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven, 
and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the 
sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  saying  blessing,  and  hon- 
or, and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  arid  ever.  And  the 
four  beasts  said,  Amen."  Rev.  v.  13.  Thus  the  fruit  of 
David's  body  ascended  the  throne,  and  appeared  as  a  lamb 
slain.  As  God,  he  never  was  from  the  throne  ;  for,  as  God, 


140         GOD     THE     GUARDIAN     OF     THE     POOR, 

he  is  both  throne  and  king.  As  man  he  was  crowned ;  and 
as  man  he  received  wisdom,  power,  and  strength  :  and,  as 
God-man,  he  received  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing ;  but 
as  God  he  could  receive  nothing  —  for  all  things  were  cre- 
ated by  him,  and  for  him,  and  by  him  all  thing  consist. 

Reader,  I  could  have  mentioned  many  more  blessings 
which  came  to  me  in  a  way  of  providence ;  but,  as  I  have 
recited,  perhaps,  too  many  of  them  already,  I  have  here 
given  the  only  few  fathoms  of  heavenly  meditation,  with 
which  the  God  of  all  grace  enabled  me  to  sound  this  mys- 
tery in  a  fit  of  sickness  that  befell  me  at  Thames  Ditton. 
Then  it  was  that  I  received  the  greatest  part  of  this  con- 
sistent chain ;  the  links  of  which  kept  every  faculty  of  my 
soul,  and  every  thought  of  my  heart,  so  delighted  and  enter- 
tained, that  I  sat  down  a  most  willing,  submissive,  and  de- 
lighted captive,  at  the  foot  of  my  prevailing  lover  and  al- 
mighty conqueror. 

If  my  reader  should  meet  with  any  wordly  professor,  who 
tells  him  that  temporal  mercies  are  not  promised  to  us,  nor 
to  be  sought  by  us,  let  him  examine  all  the  prayers  that  are 
left  upon  record  in  the  Bible,  and  he  will  find  nine  out  of 
ten  of  them  to  have  temporal  mercies  included.  And  sure- 
ly he  must  be  a  native  of  Ashdod,  or  a  bastard  Jew,  that 
contradicts  the  consecrated  languages,  and  gives  the  Divine 
Speaker  the  lie.  Such  men  appear  to  me  to  be  the  figura- 
tive offspring  of  Epicurus,  who  first  assaulted  the  doctrine 
of  Providence  ;  of  whom  Cotta  declares  that,  "  by  making 
God  careless  of  the  affairs  of  men,  he  utterly  subverted  all 
religion."  And  I  think  Aristotle's  reply  to  Epicurus's  sys- 
tem of  nullity  is  applicable  to  many  bastard  professors  in  our 
days  ;  wherefore  I  shall  bring  him  to  rebuke  them.  "  Di- 
versity of  questions,"  says  he,  "  requires  diversity  of  an- 
swers. Some  ask  whether  fire  be  hot !  These  must  be 


AND     THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  141 

answered  by  being  made  to  touch  it.  Some  ask  whether 
their  parents  are  to  be  honored !  These  are  not  to  be  dis- 
coursed with,  but  rebuked.  Others  ask  whether  there  be  \ 
any  providence  that  rules  the  world,  and  refuse  to  believe  it 
without  apparent  demonstration  !  Such  men  should  be  an- 
swered by  a  whip  rather  than  by  a  philosopher." 

Reader,  fare  thee  well.     Grace  and  providence  be  with 
thee,  while  I  remain, 

Thine  to  serve, 

W.  H. 


UNIVERSITY 


END    OF    THE    FIRST    PART. 


THE   BANK  OF   FAITH. 

J)art  STtoo. 

LETTER   I. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Beloved  in  the  Lord  Jesus : 

BELIEVING  in  my  heart  that  the  good  hand  of  God  has 
been  revealed  to  you,  and  that  his  providence  is  observed 
by  you ;  and  having  long  had  a  most  intimate  acquaintance 
with,  and  a  most  cordial  affection  for  your  lovely  family,  to 
whom  I  have  reason  to  believe  God  has  made  me  in  some 
measure  useful ;  and  knowing  that  you  are  stationed  at  a 
distance  from  the  main  stock  of  the  family,  and  in  a  barren 
land,  where  no  water  is;  and  being  too  remote  from  the 
breasts  of  consolation  to  pay  attendance  at  the  nurseries ;  I 
have  determined  with  myself  to  send  these  displays  of  divine 
providence  to  you,  hoping,  under  God,  they  may  supply 
that  lack  of  service  which  the  distance  between  you  and 
Bethel  forbids  in  the  common  Bourse  of  the  ministry. 

I  know  that  neither  you  nor  yours  are,  or  ever  were,  re- 
duced to  such  a  state  of  indigence  as  myself;  nevertheless, 
the  long  acquaintance  that  I  have  had  with  you,  and  the 
soul-union  I  have  felt  in  your  company,  together  with  the 
pious  grief  I  have  seen  manifested  by  you  in  others'  calam- 


144  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

ities,  and  your  joy  of  countenance  at  the  report  of  their 
deliverance,  convinces  me  of  the  certain  indwelling  of  a  spirit 
of  love  and  meekness  in  you,  enabling  you  to  weep  with 
them  that  weep,  and  to  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice.  In 
this  confidence,  and  with  these  motives,  I  send  these  things 
to  you,  hoping  they  will  be  neither  unpleasant  nor  un- 
profitable. 

Moreover,  as  I  have  kept  no  diary  of  one  single  provi- 
dence, and  have  nothing  to  trust  to  but  a  treacherous  mem- 
ory, which  seldom  refunds  what  is  intrusted  with  it,  espec- 
ially mine,  which  begins  of  late  sensibly  to  fail,  unless  it 
should  please  God  to  bring  back  what  has  elapsed  for  more 
than  sixteen  years.  I  am  more  inclined  to  pen  the  matters 
down  in  epistles  to  you,  than  to  sit  down  and  write  a  volume 
off-hand,  because  I  shall  have  more  opportunity  between 
the  times  of  writing  to  consider  and  recollect  the  facts; 
besides,  I  can  redeem  time  for  an  epistle,  when  ,1  cannot 
for  a  large  pamphlet.  What  I  request,  my  beloved  friend, 
of  thee,  is  to  lay  them  up  carefully,  and  together,  as  I  send 
them,  in  case  they  should,  in  some  future  period,  be  called 
for  to  be  scattered  from  the  press. 

Among  all  my  acquaintance  in  rural  life,  I  know  of  none 
whose  mind  is  so  free  from  incumbrance,  and  whose  heart 
is  less  engaged  and  less  entangled  in  the  affairs  of  this  life, 
than  yours,  and  therefore  you  are  more  at  leisure  to  attend 
to  and  to  keep  this  charge.  And  as  you  acknowledged  to 
me  that  you  gained  ground  in  the  path  of  life  by  retirement, 
reading,  meditation  and  prayer,  I  hope  these  remarks  will 
add  strength  to  your  feet,  prospects  to  your  sight,  encour- 
agement to  your  hope,  and  divine  love  to  your  heart. 

Adieu,  S.  S. 

When  I  laid  the  foundation  of  the  chapel  I  was  twenty 
pounds  in  debt  for  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  when  I  had 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  145 

finished  it  I  was  in  arrears  one  thousand  pounds  more ;  so 
that  I  hid  plenty  of  work  for  faith,  if  I  could  but  get  plenty 
of  faith  to  work  :  and  while  some  deny  a  providence,  Prov- 
idence was  the  only  resource  I  had.  I  had  forty-seven 
pounds  per  annum  ground  rent,  and  almost  fifty  pounds  per 
annum  for  interest,  a  large  chapel,  and  a  smaJl  congrega- 
tion ;  and  those  who  lent  me  the  money  a  poor,  industrious 
people,  and  weak  in  faith,  being  but  young  in  the  ways  of 
God ;  and  there  were  plenty  of  hypocrites  in  Zion  to  tell 
them  that  all  who  had  a  hand  in  that  chapel  would  burn 
their  fingers.  If  God  sends  Moses  and  Aaron  to  preach, 
Satan  sends  Jannes  and  Jambres  to  oppose  :  and  if  Zerub- 
babel  and  Joshua  begin  to  build,  Stnballat  and  Tobiah 
are  raised  up  to  discourage  them.  And  here  I  must  bring 
in  a  circumstance  which  is  truly  laughable:  A  gentleman 
who  had  for  some  time  frequented  Margaret-street  Chapel, 
and  to  all  appearance  he  was  a  very  penitent  hearer,  as  he 
was-generally  bedewed  with  tears;  but  whether  they  were 
tears  of  misery  from  a  sense  of  sin,  or  tears  of  gratitude 
from  a  sense  of  pardon,  I  knew  not ;  but  I  have  been  con- 
vinced since  that  they  were  neither.  This  good  gentleman 
came  to  us  when  the  chapel  was  in  building,  and  hearing 
the  builder  say  he  should  want  some  window  sills,  and  some 
columns  to  stand  in  the  cellar  to  support  the  ground  floor, 
he  generously  offered  his  service  to  go  into  the  country  to 
buy  them,  as  he  had  formerly  been  in  the  wood  way  himself. 
This  kind  offer  was  gratefully  accepted;  and  another  gen- 
tleman offered  him  his  horse  to  go  on.  He  accordingly 
received  his  orders  of  the  length  of  the  columns,  the  size 
of  the  heart  at  the  small  end,  and  that  they  must  be  the 
ground  ends  of  young  trees,  able  to  support  the  weight  they 
were  intended  to  bear.  So  off  he  went,  and  in  a  day  or 
two  returned,  and  informed  several  of  my  friends  that  he 
19 


146  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

had  saved  me  three  pounds  by  the  journey;  which  to  me 
was  something  considerable.  Soon  after  his  return  the 
timbers  came,  but  by  no  means  fit  for  the  purpose  they  were 
designed,  being  only  the  lirnbs  of  large  oaks,  small,  and  not 
one  straight  among  them.  The  builder  appearing  disgusted 
at  them,  he  ordered  the  carter  to  reload  them  and  take  them 
home  to  his  own  house,  which  he  accordingly  did.  The 
builder  then  went  over  the  water  and  bought  a  fine,  large, 
straight  stick,  at  the  price  of  nine  pounds,  and  intended  to 
cut  it  into  proper  lengths,  and  quarter  it ;  which  when  our 
kind  friend  saw,  he  got  a  cart  and  brought  his  materials 
back  again,  and  threw  them  down  on  the  premises,  which 
rather  hindered  tha»  helped  us.  He  then  delivered  the  bill 
to  me,  which  to  the  best  of  my  remembrance,  was  five 
pounds  seven  shillings,  which  with  three  pounds  that  he 
had  saved  me  by  the  bargain,  made  them  worth  eight  pounds 
seven  shillings.  I  offered  to  pay  his  bill,  and  to  make  him 
a  present  of  the  timber  if  he  would  accept  it,  but  he  would 
not,  nor  could  we  use  it ;  so  that  this  good  man's  favors 
became  a  hinderance  rather  than  a  help.  At  last  I  resolved 
to  have  them  valued,  and  sent  for  a  timber  merchant,  who 
attended  me  to  value  them  :  he  valued  them  at  two  guineas; 
but  thinking  the  gentleman  might  undervalue  them  through 
partiality  to  me,  I  sent  for  an  entire  stranger,  who  was  a 
timber  merchant  also,  and  he  fixed  their  price  at  forty  shil- 
lings. Upon  this  my  good  friend  took  the  materials  away, 
and  for  this  price  he  sold  them,  clearing  much  less  for  him- 
self than  he  saved  me.  But  to  return  to  my  subject. 
These  were  the  difficulties  I  had  to  surmount;  and  for 
three  years  together  I  lost  ground,  for  Satan  waylaid  me  in 
a  path  which  I  knew  to  be  charity.  My  bowels  were  moved 
to  extricate  from  debt  a  man  that  I  took  to  be  a  fallen  saint, 
nor  could  all  the  inward  checks  God  gave  me  stop  me  from 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  147 

embarking  in  this  good  work,  though  I  had  many.  He 
cost  me  forty  guineas ;  and  when  God  unmasked  the  hypo- 
crite, then  I  saw  where  the  inward  caution  came  from. 
Three  chapels  were  opened  about  the  same  time  not  far 
from  mine,  and  one  set  up  an  additional  lecture,  in  order  to 
keep  the  sheep  from  straying;  but  the  inward  anointed 
taught  me  that  by  these  means  I  should  see  more  clearly 
the  hand  of  God,  for  where  there  is  no  opposition  there  is 
no  salvation  ;  and  where  a  multitude  of  hands  are  employed 
in  one  work,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  see  the  distinguishing 
approbation  of  the  employer.  I  must  stand  alone,  and  work 
alone,  that  I  might  not  say  a  confederacy,  nor  rely  on  hu- 
man aid.  Paul's  companions  all  forsook  him  at  Nero's  bar, 
that  by  him  the  preaching  might  be  fully  known  ;  for  Paul's 
doctrine  was  immediately  from  Christ,  but  theirs  mediately 
from  him. 

After  this  blank  of  forty  guineas  loss,  another  borrowed 
three  more,  and  another  ten  pounds,  neither  of  which  ever 
paid  a  mite  again ;  and  soon  after  thirty  pounds  were  de- 
manded for  the  follies  of  my  youth,  and  another  thirty 
pounds  for  rent  for  the  chapel  I  had  left;  and  thirty  guineas 
more  for  a  law-suit  about  a  little  meeting-house  for  which  I 
had  collected  forty  pounds  to  build  at  Sunbury,  in  Middle- 
sex. All  these  blanks,  at  three  years'  end,  set  me  down  just 
where  I  began;  and  all  this  time  my  income  was  only 
twenty-five  pounds  per  quarter,  and  my  children  at  one 
time  nine  in  number.  This  sailing  against  wind  and  tide, 
not  only  tried  the  faith  of  the  debtor,  but  it  exercised  the 
faith  of  my  poor  creditors  also;  for  if  I  could  not  go  on, 
they  must  go  back ;  nevertheless,  most  of  them  exercised 
more  patience  than  I  could,  though  I  could  do  no  more  than 
just  keep  the  interest  paid  up.  At  length  God  enabled  me 
to  put  out  several  little  books,  which  were  almost  universally 


148  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

exclaimed  against,  both  by  preachers  and  professors,  and 
by  these  means  God  sent  them  into  all  winds;  so  that  I 
soon  rubbed  off  one  hundred,  and  soon  after  another,  so 
that  in  a  short  time  I  had  reduced  my  thousand  pounds 
down  to  seven  hundred.  The  booksellers  in  general  would 
neither  countenance  nor  circulate  the  works,  being  influ- 
enced, as  I  suppose,  by  some  of  their  employers.  But  as 
the  workman  began  to  be  known,  so  the  works  spread ;  and 
what  some  despised  others  admired  ;  and  the  doctrine  that 
starved  the  self-sufficient,  fattened  the  poor  in  spirit.  Peo- 
ple who  attend  my  ministry,  coming  from  various  parts  of 
the  country,  often  bought  them,  and  sent  them  down  among 
their  friends.  By  these  means  they  made  their  way  where 
I  was  not  permitted  to  go  myself.  But  it  often  happened 
that  where  they  came  the  preachers  warned  the  people  much 
against  them,  which  frequently  excited  the  curiosity  of 
some  to  read  them ;  and  if  they  found  any  thing  in  them 
that  suited  their  cases,  they  judged  by  the  unction  they  felt. 
They  are  calculated  in  some  measure  to  suit  the  earnest 
inquirer ;  the  soul  in  bondage,  in  the  furnace,  in  the  path 
of  tribulation,  or  in  the  strong  hold  of  Satan  ;  and  I  have 
heard  of  them  from  Wales,  from  Scotland,  from  Ireland, 
from  various  parts  of  America,  from  Cadiz  in  Spain,  from 
Alexandria  in  Egypt,  and  I  believe  from  both  the  East  and 
West  Indies  :  and  as  they  have  fallen  in  divers  hands,  I  accor- 
dingly received  various  reports.  Many  vilifying  and  scur- 
rilous letters  from  different  parts;  and  to  counterbalance 
these,  many  letters  of  blessings  to  God,  and  thanks  to  the 
author ;  which  put  together,  make  it  to  be  the  good  old 
beaten  path  ;  through  evil  report  and  good  report,  as  deceiv- 
ers and  yet  true.  Beloved,  farewell. 

Thine  to  command, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER    II. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Beloved  in  the  Lord  : 

SINCE  I  sent  off  the  last,  many  fresh  things  have  occurred 
to  my  mind.  I  concluded  with  the  circulation  of  my  books  : 
and  about  that  time  I  was  invited  to  preach  a  weekly  lec- 
ture in  the  city,  by  which  means  it  pleased  my  God  to  bring 
me  more  publicly  forth  into  the  world ;  and  as  the  chapel 
filled,  and  the  people  approved,  of  course  my  pedigree,  my 
residence,  my  station  in  the  camp,  my  family  and  fortune, 
were  inquired  into ;  and  that  at  a  time  when  some  of  my  cred- 
itors wanted  their  money.  In  a  short  time  after  this  de- 
mand, a  small  number  of  gentlemen  offered  to  lend  ine  one 
hundred  pounds,  without  either  note  of  hand  or  interest; 
and,  being  a  little  from  each  of  them,  they  took  it  as  God 
prospered  me,  till  all  was  cleared.  But  poor  men's  dif- 
ficulties, like  women's  work,  are  never  done,  for  soon  after  < 
fifty  pounds  more  was  called  in,  besides  many  little  debts 
which  were  contracted  while  the  former  sums  were  paying 
off;  so  that  I  was  encompassed  about  with  a  whole  crowd 
of  creditors;  and  who  can  expect  less  who  make  them- 
selves debtors  to  all  ?  A  gentleman  of  the  city,  who  had  a 
little  house  at  Peckham,  asked  me  to  go  on  a  week  day 
evening  to  preach  in  that  neighborhood,  and  to  take  a  sup- 
per and  bed  at  his  house,  which  I  agreed  to;  and,  being 
without  either  purse  or  scrip,  gold  or  silver,  when  I  set  off, 
1  called  on  my  invaluable  and  never-failing  friend  Mr.  Ba- 
ker, of  Oxford  street,  and  asked  him  if  there  was  any  of  the 
chapel  money  in  his  hands?  To  my  great  comfort  he  told 
me,  No ;  so  I  borrowed  a  few  shillings  and  set  off.  But, 
20 


150  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

that  I  might  give  vent  to  my  grief,  and  bemoan  my  hard 
fate  in  secret,  I  called  a  coach,  and  got  in,  the  old  man  and 
the  devil  both  following  me ;  so  we  went  all  three  together, 
like  the  adulterous  woman  and  her  accusers ;  and  to  be 
sure  I  had  not  one  six-penny  or  shilling  debt  in  all  the  world 
but  what  the  devil  set  before  me,  together  with  various 
prisons  for  poor  debtors ;  and  aggravated  rny  misery  by  set- 
ting before  me  the  power  of  God  to  help  me  if  he  would, 
the  wealth  that  he  gave  to  many  wicked  persons,  and  his 
hard  dealings  with  those  that  loved  him.  I  listened  to  mine 
enemy  till  I  was  in  such  a  frame  as  Elisha  was,  when  the 
forty  children  followed  him,  crying,  Go  up,  thou  bald  head. 
But  at.  length  recollecting  myself,  I  bnntered  the  devil.  I 
said,  Satan,  hast  thou  got  any  cash  by  thee?  if  thou  hast, 
bring  it;  I  do  not  care  where  you  get  it,  bring  it  if  you 
have  any,  I  will  receive  it,  and  thank  God  for  it;  but,  if  thou 
art  as  poor  as  myself,  -let  my  debts  alone.  The  devil  left 
me  at  this.  Resist  the  dtvil,  says  God,  and  he  will  Jlee 
from  you;  and  so  he  did,  and  my  soul  was  delivered  as  a 
roe  from  the  hand  of  the  hunter,  or  as  a  bird  from  the  hand 
of  the  fowler.  When  I  came  to  the  end  of  St  George's 
Fields,  I  got  out  and  walked  the  rest  of  the  way,  and  that 
night  had  a  glorious  time  in  the  Lord's  work  ;  Satan  had 
for  a  season  left  me,  and  I  returned  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit.  I  spent  a  comfortable  evening  with  my  friends,  and 
had  a  most  uncommon  time  in  prayer  by  myself  at  going  to 
bed,  and  a  most  sweet  frame  of  meekness,  gratitude,  and 
godly  sorrow,  given  me  when  in  bed ;  and  in  the  morning  I 
arose  sweetly  becalmed,  and  much  resigned  to  the  will  of 
God.  However,  in  my  road  home,  the  old  serpent  set  at 
me  again  ;  but,  having  found  faith  strong  in  exercise  over 
night,  he  could  not  make  those  inroads  on  my  soul  as  he  had 
done  the  day  before.  I  called  on  my  dear  friends  Mr.  and 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  151 

Mrs.  Baker,  and  tcld  them  that  I  should  shortly  have  a  lift- 
up,  as  I  usually  called  it ;  and  that  I  had  got  it  already  in 
fa  th,  and  should  shortly  have  it  in  hand.  These  poor  souls 
and  I  moved  in  concert,  like  the  cherubim  and  his  wheels, 
for  when  I  was  down  they  were  down,  when  I  was  exalted 
so  were  they.  On  the  next  Sunday  morning  came  a  gentle- 
man of  the  city  into  the  vestry  to  me,  with  a  bank  note  in 
his  hand,  and  gave  it  to  me,  saying,  I  am  desired  to  give  you 
that.  I  asked  who  it  came  from;  he  replied,  "You  do  not 
know  the  person ;  you  never  spoke  to  him  but  once ;  but  he 
told  me  that  it  was  strong  upon  his  mind  that  you  was  in 
want,  and  he  put  it  into  his  pocket  for  you  last  Thursday, 
and  it  had  burnt  in  it  ever  since,  but  he  knew  not  how  to 
convey  it  to  you.''  That  same  Thursday  was  the  day  in 
which  Satan  beset  me  so  violently ;  and  while  Satan  was 
reproaching  me  with  my  debts,  God's  good  Spirit  was 
preaching  to  that  gentleman  to  lessen  them.  The  same 
person  continues  in  communion  with  me  to  this  day.  Upon 
this  a  gentleman,  to  whom  God  had  made  me  useful,  gen- 
erously offered  to  lend  me  eighty  pounds  to  answer  my  pre- 
sent demands,  and  to  take  it  of  me  as  I  could  pay  it :  this 
I  gladly  accepted,  and  then  answered  the  present  demand  of 
those  gentlemen  who  at  times  stood  in  need  of  their  money. 
At  this  time  a  gentleman  from  Bristol  came  frequently  to 
hear  me,  and  who  invited  me  to  that  place,  to  which  I  con- 
sented, and  was  to  have  a  letter  previous  to  the  time  of  my 
going  thither.  After  some  time  waiting,  the  letter  came, 
and  when  it  came  my  pocket  was  empty ;  but  at  that  junc- 
ture a  letter  came  from  a  lady  in  the  country,  with  a  twenty- 
pound  note  in  it ;  with  part  of  this  I  took  my  journey  to 
Bristol,  as  Joseph  and  Mary  took  theirs  to  Egypt  with  the 
wise  men's  gold  presented  to  Christ  in  the  stable.  Soon 
after  my  return,  I  one  night,  in  my  discourse  in  the  city, 


152  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

I 

opened  my  mind  freely  and  scripturally  upon  the^use  and 
end  of  the  law  of  God,  describing  who  were  under  it  and 
who  not.  A  great  man,  next  to  a  great  woman,  happened 
to  be  there,  who  had  light  enough  to  see  my  darkness;  and 
from  that  time  sounded  the  alarm,  and  preached  up  the  law, 
till  he  was  ten  times  blinder  than  I  was;  this  alarm  spread, 
and  most  pulpits  rang  with  warnings  against  antinomianism ; 
this  terrified  the  people,  and  many  fled  from  me,  some 
halted,  and  some  few  abode.  However,  the  continual 
warnings  on  every  hind  soon  reduced  a  crowded  audience 
to  a  very  small  number,  and  the  longer  I  preached  the  fewer 
I  had,  till  J  was  sure  the  small  number  could  not  defray  the 
expenses  attending  the  lecture ;  and  now  was  the  time  for 
my  old  enemy  to  work.  He  condemned  my  doctrine,  which 
I  did  not  wonder  at,  as  an  accuser  has  nothing  to  work 
upon  but  sin,  nor  any  thing  to  work  by  but  a  broken  law ; 
for  where  there  is  no  law  there  is  no  transgression,  and 
where  there  is  no  transgression  there  can  be  no  accusation. 
He  harassed  me  with  the  great  number  of  divines  all 
against  me,  with  my  debts  also,  with  the  visible  disappro- 
bation of  God  by  the  almost  general  absence  of  the  whole 
congregation ;  and,  last  of  all,  that  my  own  poor  pocket 
must  defray  the  expenses  of  the  place,  and  that  money  was 
the  property  of  others,  and  it  is  the  wicked  that  borrow  and 
pay  not  again.  That  Tuesday  was  a  day  of  darkness  and 
gloominess  to  me ;  however,  I  replied,  that  God  was  not 
tied  to  that  congregation,  he  could  discharge  the  debts  I 
should  contract  by  keeping  open  that  place  many  other 
ways,  and  therefore  I  determined  to  continue  there  till  there 
were  but  ten  to  hear.  That  night  the  number  was  much 
greater  than  the  time  before  ;'  and  the  same  night  I  received 
a  letter  with  these  words :  "  Sir,  I  have  the  honor  of  being 
a  steward  to  your  Master,  and  am  at  times  intrusted  with  a 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  153 

trifle  for  the  benefit  of  his  servants,  and  I  know  of  none 
more  worthy  than  yourself."  And  that  was  all,  except  a 
ten-pound  note,  which  bore  me  through  that  quarter ;  and 
from  that  night  we  increased,  till  the  house  was  filled  with 
guests.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
me  bless  Ms  holy  name. 

The  people  had  now  an  opportunity  of  trying  both  Sinai 
and  Zion  ;  many  ran  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  was  in- 
creased. Some  found  it  as  I  had  done,  the  more  law  the 
more  bondage,  and  the  more  gospel  the  more  love.  It 
served  also  to  separate  between  servants  and  sons  :  some 
cleaved  to  the  citizens  of  Jerusalem  that  now  is,  and  is  in 
bondage,  which  Christ  calls  citizens  of  this  country,  who 
feed  with  husks;  and  some  cleaved  to  the  citizens  of  Zion, 
on  which  mountain  the  feast  of  fat  things  is  promised,  and 
where  God  promises  to  destroy  the  face  of  the  covering 
cast  over  all  nations,  and  to  swallow  up  death  in  victory. 
Never,  I  think,  had  Moses  more  disciples  than  at  that  time; 
both  pulpit  and  press  proclaimed  little  else  but  the  law  ;  but, 
as  those  who  preached  it  knew  not  what  they  said,  so  these 
that  published  it  knew  not  what  they  wrote,  for  not  one  that 
I  read  had  ever  experienced  the  application  of  it ;  and  I 
knew  that  I  was  at  a  point  in  this,  namely,  that  I  retained 
the  whole  morality  of  the  law,  by  enforcing  holiness  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.  The  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in 
us  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  love  to  God  and  the  brother- 
hood, by  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart;  and  all 
beside  these  is  death. 

But  now  the  eighty  pounds,  kindly  lent  me  as  before  re- 
lated, began  to  hang  heavy  upon  my  mind,  and  I  labored 
long  to  scrape  together  some  part  of  it;  and  having  got 
together  upwards  of  thirty  pounds,  I  was  earnestly  desired 
to  have  the  chapel  white-washed,  and  to  buy  six  or  eight 
chandeliers  to  illuminate  the  gallery.  These,  with  the 


154  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 

white-washing,  cost  me  near  forty  pounds.  At  this  I  fretted, 
and  thought  that  both  friends  and  foes  labored  to  keep  the 
borrower  a  perpetual  servant  to  the  lender.  I  envied  every 
soul  that  was  out  of  debt,  however  poor,  Satan  delivered  so 
many  harangues  from  this  text,  Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but 
to  love  one  another.  After  many  long  struggles  I  foresaw, 
that  by  my  books  and  the  chapel's  increase,  I  should  shortly 
be  able  to  pay  off  forty  pounds,  and  the  time  drew  near,  and 
everything  bid  fair;  but,  alas!  an  unforeseen  event  took 
place,  which  frustrated  this  design  :  a  building  next  the 
chnpel  took  fire,  and  burnt  from  street  to  street.  Some  of 
the  roof  of  my  chapel  was  a  little  burnt,  and  the  spectators 
get  poles  and  pushed  a  stack  of  chimneys  on  the  building, 
which  fell  through  and  injured  the  gallery.  This  disaster 
cost  me  upwards  of  forty  pounds  more,  which  drove  me  to 
my  wits'  end.  I  was  like  a  wild  bull  in  a  net,  entangled 
every  way  ;  and  was  determined  to  go  and  vent  my  grief  to 
the  gentleman,  and  make  an  apology  and  beg  his  patience 
till  I  could  pay  him.  I  went ;  but  God  had  been  before 
me;  for,  before  I  could  find  an  opportunity  to  speak,  he 
looked  up  at  me  and  said,  "  I  shall  never  take  that  money 
again  of  you  which  you  had  of  me,  nor  did  I  ever  intend 
it."  I  knew  not  where  to  hide  my  head  ;  I  was  ashamed 
of  my  impatience,  distrust,  rebellion,  and  murmuring,  and 
loathed  myself  for  it;  and  admired  the  wisdom  and  good- 
ness of  my  God  to  so  unstable  and  unbelieving  a  wretch. 
But  this  frame  lasted  not  long;  I  was  soon  at  it  ag:iin ;  and 
was  not  God  long-suffering,  he  would  never  bear  with  such 
an  one  as  I  am. 

For,  being  informed  that  the  house  I  then  dwelt  in  was 
to  be  sold,  and  being  desired  by  my  landlord  to  admit  any 
person  into  it  that  came,  unsettled  my  mind  exceedingly, 
interrupted  me  in  my  studies  and  in  my  writing,  and  made 
me  as  peevish  and  as  fretful  as  one  chained  to  a  galley. 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  155 

However,  sold  it  must  be,  and  sold  it  was  :  and  I  being  a 
tenant  at  will,  must  prepare  my  stuff  for  removing.  Some 
of  my  friends  attended  the  sale  on  my  behalf,  but  the  price 
ran  too  high.  As  it  was  but  a  leasehold,  a  person  in  the 
neighborhood,  a  possessor  of  much  money  and  a  professor 
of  religion,  (who  was  resolved  to  have  it,)  bought  it  for 
himself  and  family.  I  had  expended  a  few  pounds  in 
paving  the  walk  to  the  door  and  the  yard  behind  the  house, 
which  the  auctioneer  said  should  be  paid  to  me,  but  that 
pay  never  came. 

Some  few  days  were  spent  in  looking  after  a  house,  and 
at  length  one  presented  itself,  which  was  empty,  and  had 
stood  empty  for  some  time ;  the  rent  was  double  to  that 
which  I  was  leaving,  that  being  twenty  pounds  per  annum, 
this  forty.  Nevertheless  I  took  it,  longing  to  be  settled 
somewhere.  I  got  the  keys,  and  immediately  began  to 
move,  though  it  was  six  or  seven  weeks  before  the  time  ex- 
pired of  my  other  house,  for  the  which  I  must  pay  rent, 
having  entered  upon  that  quarter.  When  I  had  removed 
all  my  goods  I  lent  the  gentleman  who  had  bought  the 
premises  the  keys  of  the  house,  that  he  might  get  it  in  order 
for  his  own  reception,  for  which  he  was  much  pleased,  and 
kindly  thanked  me ;  but  he  soon  requited  me  for  my  kind- 
ness, by  sending  me  an  attorney's  letter  for  taking  up  a  lit- 
tle favorite  tree  which  I  had  planted.  Satan,  upon  this, 
tempted  me  to  take  out  my  knife  and  cut  off  another  of  my 
own  phnting  close  by  the  ground.  But  vengeance  belong- 
eth  to  God,  and  he  will  repay  :  and  so  I  found  it,  for  in  less 
than  nine  months  my  successor  and  his  wife  were  both  in 
their  graves,  and  the  house  sold  again.  They  removed  me, 
and  God  removed  them.  But  time  calls  me  elsewhere. 
Beloved,  farewell. 

Ever  thine, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER   III. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dear  Friend : 

I  CONCLUDED  my  last  with  my  old  habitation,  and  shall 
begin  this  new  epistle  with  my  new  house.  My  new  habi- 
tation being  so  much  larger  than  the  other,  my  little  furni- 
ture was  almost  lost  in  it :  That  which  is  crooked  cannot  be 
made  straight,  and  that  lohich  is  wanting  cannot  be  number- 
ed. Eccl.  i.  15.  However,  the  unerring  and  never-failing 
providence  of  God,  which  has,  in  uniformity  with  his  word 
of  promise,  incessantly  followed  me  and  presided  over  me 
all  my  days,  most  conspicuously  appeared  at  this  time  also. 
A  lady  in  the  country  sent  me  in  a  letter  a  forty -pound  bank 
note.  A  gentleman  in  the  city  gave  me  a  handsome  new 
bureau  and  two  mahogany  elbow  chairs.  Another  gentleman 
sent  me  anew  handsome  chamber-chair  with  stuffed  back  and 
sides,  and  a  handsome  cover  and  cushion.  While  another, 
who  came  to  see  my  new  habitation,  said,  "  My  friend,  I 
think  you  want  a  carpet  for  this  large  room,"  and  left  me  a 
ten-pound  note  to  .purchase  one.  And  here  I  must  set  up 
mine  Ebenezer,  and  say,  with  a  pious  prophet  of  old,  Hith- 
erto hast  the  Lord  helped  us. 

But  this  stream  of  prosperity  must  not  continue.  I  must 
be  tried,  I  must  learn  my  doctrine  in  the  furnace  of  afflic- 
tion, and  fetch  my  sermons  from  God's  powerful  application 
and  my  own  soul's  experience  ;  that  I  may  be  at  a  point  and 
speak  with  authority,  and  that  my  hearers  may  se£  God's 
fatherly  goodness  and  severity  follow  me  and  work  in  me, 
as  well  as  hear  an  account  of  it  from  me.  Elijah's  sons 
must  see  the  spirit  of  Elijah  rest  upon  Elisha,  before  they 


THE    BANK     OF     FAITH.  157 

can  receive  him  and  revere  him  as  his  successor.  I  fell 
sick,  and  lay  for  some  time ;  and  for  three  or  four  years, 
one  after  another,  I  had  much  sickness  in  my  family,  and 
my  doctor's  bills  of  course  came  heavy.  Besides  one  young 
child  at  wet-nurse,  I  had  five  more  at  school,  and  three,  one 
after  another,  lately  dead.  I  had  my  eldest  daughter  at 
a  school  at  Greenwich,  and  her  governess  gained  the  ap- 
plause of  many  persons  for  her  liberality  to  me ;  who  averred 
that  she  educated  my  child  for  nothing,  though  I  paid  her 
sixteen  guineas  per  annum  for  her  all  the  time  she  was  there, 
with  one  guinea  earnest  at  her  going,  which  was  two  guin- 
eas per  annum  more  than  she  had  for  one  half  of  her  schol- 
ars. A  little  boy,  which  I  had  at  wet-nurse  at  Wai  worth, 
was  much  desired  by  a  gentlewoman  in  that  neighborhood, 
as  soon  as  it  was  proper  to  wean  him  ;  which  desire  I  grant- 
ed, and  she  dry-nursed  him,  and  had  him  for  three  or  four 
years.  She  also  gained  the  esteem  of  many  of  my  friends 
for  keeping  one  of  my  children  gratis,  because  of  my  large 
family :  but  God  knows  that  I  paid  her  after  the  rate  of 
twenty  pounds  per  annum  for  every  day  she  kept  him.  Thus 
some  made  the  miraculous  providence  of  God  to  favor  me 
where  it  never  appeared,  while  others  denied  the  whole  of 
it,  and  some  burnt  the  relation  of  it  where  it  really  did.  / 
am  a  wonder  unto  many,  but  thou  art  my  strong  refuge, 
Psalm  Ixxi.  7. 

About  this  time  I  called  upon  my  dear  and  unwearied 
friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker,  of  Oxford  street,  who,  from 
the  time  God  first  made  me  manifest  in  their  consciences  to 
the  present  moment,  never  failed  me,  forsook  me,  nor  turn- 
ed their  backs  on  me.  For  while  the  chapel  was  build- 
ing, when  money  was  continually  demanded,  if  there  was 
one  shilling  in  the  house  I  was  sure  to  have  it.  God  never 
suffered  their  souls  to  get  one  morsel  of  the  bread  of  life  bat 


158  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH 

under  me;  and  it  is  seldom  that  one  quarter  has  rolled  over 
my  head,  for  these  sixteen  years,  but  what  I  have  stood  in 
need  of  some  assistance  from  them  :  thus  God  tied  us  to- 
gether. As  they  had  no*  children  of  their  own,  God  kept 
them  caring  and  travailing  many  years  for  me ;  for  when- 
ever I  was,  like  Issachar,  couching  down  between  two  bur- 
dens, my  constant  haunt  was  there  for  condolence,  sympa- 
thy, and  succor;  yea,  when  sorrow  has  quite  driven  sleep 
from  rny  eyes,  I  have  often  called  them  up  at  three  or  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  either  to  bear  a  part  of  my  burdens, 
or  to  unite  with  me  in  prayer  to  God  that  he  would.  These 
friends,  at  that  time,  were  my  largest  or  principal  creditors; 
but  I  knew  I  was  safe  enough  in  their  hands,  and  that  they 
would  suffer  themselves  to  starve  in  a  ditch  before  they 
would  let  rne  die  in  a  jail. 

At  the  same  time  God  sorely  tried  them,  by  various  losses 
in  business,  by  bankruptcies  and  bad  debts  continually  ; 
and,  to  add  a  little  more  fire  to  the  furnace,  a  very  near  re- 
lation in  the  flesh  fell  into  insanity,  who  has  been  confined 
in  a  private  mad-house  at  their  expense  for  many  years,  and 
is  still  on  their  hands,  as  I  and  my  concerns  were  many 
years  on  their  backs;  but  still  God  supported  them,  meek- 
ened  them,  comforted  them,  and  kept  their  souls  alive  in 
their  trouble.  Many  efforts  have  been  made,  both  by  men 
and  devils,  to  disunite  us,  but  all  in  vain  ;  for  all  my  predic- 
tions to  them  God  always  confirmed,  and  their  confidence 
in  my  being  his  servant  was  never  once  shaken.  These 
things  bound  us  together  for  life  and  for  eternity ;  and  we 
have  agreed,  if  God  approve,  not  to  be  divided  in  death  ; 
for  some  years  ago,  they,  myself,  and  my  friend  Chapman 
at  Petersham,  subscribed  and  purchased  a  spot  of  ground  in 
that  neighborhood,  and  erected  a  substantial  tomb,  under 
Mr.  Chapman's  direction  ;  where  we  hope,  if  God  permit, 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  159 

to  rest  together  in  the  dust,  till  the  archangel's  trump  shall 
silence  that  of  the  gospel,  and  proclaim  an  eternal  jubilee 
to  the  covenant  seed  of  the  Son  of  God.  But  I  must  get 
me  back  again  to  another  fight  of  afflictions,  for  there  is  no 
living  without  them. 

A  large  sum  of  money  was  now  demanded  of  one  of  my 
creditors,  and  it  was  demanded  in  haste,  being  wanted.  At 
this  time  my  pocket  had  been  well  drained  for  furniture, 
and  many  more  things  were  still  wanting;  however,  the  sum 
must  be  had,  and  it  was  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds ! 
My  heart  sunk  at  the  sound.  "  James,"  says  I,  "  what 
shall  I  do  ?  "  "  Do,"  says  he,  "  you  shall  pay  it ;  the  wo- 
man that  has  called  it  in  does  not  want  it,  she  receives  her 
interest,  and  is  in  no  danger  of  losing  the  principal  ;  the 
devil  has  stirred  her  up  on  purpose  to  plague  you."  But  I 
replied,  "  James,  where  shall  I  get  one  hundred  pounds?" 
"  Why,"  says  he,  "  you  shall  have  it  of  James  Baker." 
"  Why,"  said  I,  "  have  you  an  hundred  to  spare  ? "  "  Yes," 
said  he,  "one  hundred  more;  it  lies  by  itself;  it  cost  me 
eighty  pounds  in,  and  it  is  a  good  time  to  sell  out."  And 
he  sold  it  out  for  one  hundred  and  one  pounds.  The  rest 
we  made  up,  and  I  carried  it  to  the  person  who  demanded 
it :  and  she  purchased  two  hundred  pounds  stock,  which 
cost  her  two  hundred  and  two  pounds.  Thus  my  dear  friend 
cleared  twenty-one  pounds  by  serving  me,  and  she  lost  as 
much  by  distressing  me. 

Now  Satan  sat  another  snare  for  my  feet,  and  I  went  very 
reluctantly  into  it;  but  unremitted  importunity  dragged  me 
like  an  ox  to  the  slaughter,  or  as  a  fool  to  the  correction  of 
the  stocks.  The  snare  was  this  :  A  person  had  spoke  to 
another  to  lend  a  friend  of  theirs  in  debt  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds,  which  sum  that  person  would  lend  if  I  would 
pass  my  word  for  half  of  it ;  this  I  did,  and  thus  a  fool's  lips 


160  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

are  the,  snare  of  his  soul.  This  office  of  suretyship  cost  me 
many  a  groan,  for  we  lost  every  farthing  of  it ;  and,  to  help 
forward  my  calamity,  another  person,  that  came  lately  out 
of  the  country,  and  who  was  set  up  in  business  in  town,  and 
had  newly  scraped  a  little  acquaintance  with  me,  called  on 
me  to  borrow  a  few  guineas,  which  were  to  be  paid  the  next 
week  without  fail  ;  but  this  friend  vanished  out  of  my  sight 
that  very  day,  and  I  saw  him  no  more  :  A  poor  man  that 
oppresscth  the  poor,  is  a  sweeping  rain  that  leavcth  no  food. 
Prov.  xxviii.  3.  And,  as  for  the  other  person  for  whom  I 
and  my  friend  became  surety,  he  soon  became  bankrupt,  or 
broke  to  pieces.  But  such  was  the  invariable  providence 
of  my  God,  that  the  devil  himself  could  never  make  a  bank- 
rupt of  me  :  my  invariable  Banker,  who  stood  by  me  in  six 
troubles,  did  not  fail  me  in  the  seventh  ;  for  an  elderly  lady 
in  town,  who  for  some  time  sat  under  my  ministry,  fell  sick : 
she  requested  my  attendance  during  her  illness,  and  after  her 
departure  a  gentleman  called  and  paid  me  ten  pounds,  which 
she  left  me  by  will ;  and  soon  after  that  a  lady  in  the  coun- 
try sent  me  forty  pounds.  A  most  faithful  and  affectionate 
friend  in  the  city,  who,  times  without  number,  has  minis- 
tered to  my  necessities,  ordered  me  to  go  to  a  cabinet-ma- 
ker and  bespeak  a  chest  of  drawers  for  my  clothes,  a  writing 
desk,  &,c.,  and  sent  me  home  with  forty  guineas  in  my 
pocket.  Thus  a  succession  of  crosses  was  followed  with 
perpetual  blessings  ;  for,  as  sure  as  adversity  led  the  van,  so 
sure  prosperity  brought  up  the  rear  :  The  heart  knoiocth  its 
own  bitter  ness  y  and  a  stranger  intermeddleth  not  with  his 
joy.  Never,  no  never,  did  the  Holy  Spirit  wholly  withhold 
his  prevalent  intercession  from  me  in  times  of  trouble,  nor 
did  my  God  ever  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  my  prayer,  or  fail  to 
deliver  me  out  of  that  trouble  :  though  he  has  at  times  suf- 
fered me  to  labor  long  under  them ;  Many  are  the  afflictions 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH,  161 

of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord  deliver eth  him  out  of  them  all. 
But  now  for  another  cross. 

God  takes  away  another  of  my  poor  children  ;  it  died  at 
my  friend  Chapman's,  at  Petersham,  and  was  buried  in  the 
same  ground  where  we  since  have  erected  our  tomb.  Upon 
the  back  of  this  disaster  I  fell  sick,  and  lay  some  time  ;  and 
soon  after  my  little  daughter  was  brought  home  from  school 
with  a  violent  fever,  which  continued  on  her  many  months  : 
but  after  my  faith  and  patience  had  been  a  little  tried,  God 
raised  her  up  again.  About  this  time  I  had  been  digging  a 
cellar  and  building  a  little  room  over  it;  had  built  an  oven 
also,  and  had  been  setting  up  a  copper  and  purchasing  brew- 
ing vessels ;  all  of  which,  together  with  the  building,  had  not 
cost  me  less  than  two  hundred  pounds.  Some  time  after  a  fe- 
ver broke  out  in  the  school  where  my  sons  were,  and  three  of 
them  came  home,  one  of  whom  was  ill,  and  had  a  fit  of  sick- 
ness ;  so  that  in  a  short  time  I  had  sixty  or  seventy  pounds 
to  pay  to  different  gentlemen  of  the  faculty,  for  attendance  on 
me  and  them.  Add  to  this,  another  fifty  pounds  of  borrowed 
money  was  called  in ;  not  for  want  of  it,  but  from  private 
pique  :  this  we  made  shift  to  get  together  and  informed  the 
person  where  to  call  for  it ;  but  it  lay  a  long  time  before  it 
was  fetched  away. .  The  grief  was  not  from  fear  of  losing 
it,  but  at  my  being  able  to  procure  it :  By  evil  report  and 
good  report,  as  deceivers  and  yet  true.  But  my  God  now 
appeared  again  :  a  friend  in  the  city  gave  me  thirty  pounds, 
another  soon  after  sent  me  twenty  pounds ;  and  two  more 
gave  me  forty  pounds;  and  an  elderly  gentleman,  who  had  for 
some  time  attended  my  ministry  and  who  had  been  a  member 
of  a  church  in  the  city  for  many  years  ;  but  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that  it  pleased  God  to  revive  the  work  on  his  soul 
under  me,  for  he  at  times  called  on  me  and  acknowledged  as 
much,  and  often  lamented  that  this  world  had  for  along  time 
21 


162  THE      BANK     OF     FAITH. 

obscured  the  good  work  on  him.  Soon  after  this  he  left  this 
world,  leaving  me  fifty  pounds  by  will,  and. several  more  lega- 
cies, as  I  have  been  informed,  to  other  indigent  persons. 
In  the  day  of  prosperity  be  joyful,  in  the  day  of  adversity 
consider  ;  God  has  set  the  one  against  the  other. 

Dearly  beloved,  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  be  with  thee ; 
so  prays 

Thine  in  covenant  love, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER    IV. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dear  Friend,  in  eternal  Friendship  : 

I  CONCLUDED  my  last  with  the  sound  of  abundance  of 
rain ;  the  little  hill  had  been  watered  with  a  shower  of  bles- 
sings ;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  26 ;  and  my  soul  with  abundance  of 
peace ;  and  now,  in  pursuit  of  the  narrative,  you  must  know 
what  effect  this  had  on  the  debt  books  of  my  creditors. 
Why,  by  the  good  hand  of  my  God  upon  me,  I  had  now 
reduced  the  debt  of  my  chapel  down  to  little  more  than 
three  hundred  pounds ;  my  friend  Baker  was  almost  my  only 
creditor,  and  I  had  nothing  to  fear  from  him.  I  considered 
myself  now  as  having  the  fore  horse  by  the  head,  as  they 
say  who  speak  in  proverbs.  I  could  now  compare  creditor 
and  debtor  together,  and  see  a  balance  in  my  own  favor ; 
so  that  I  had  no  fears  about  me  that  any  one  friend  would 
lose  any  thing  by  me,  should  it  please  God  to  remove  me. 
I  had  also  given  forty  pounds  premium  at  the  binding  of 
one  of  my  sons,  and  twenty  pounds  more  to  a  mantua-maker 
with  my  elder  daughter  ;  and  had  also  curtailed  some  of  my 
unnecessary  expenses  —  I  mean  with  respect  to  preaching 
for  other  people.  I  had  for  some  years  been  Jack  at  every 
body's  call ;  being  invited  to  preach  collection  sermons 
continually  :  and  wherever  I  went  this  was  sure  to  be  the 
case  :  sometimes  I  was  to  collect  for  the  minister,  sometimes 
to  rub  off  the  debt  of  the  buildings,  sometimes  for  the  poor, 
but  always  for  something  or  for  somebody,  and  I  was  gen- 
erally desired  to  give  it  out  at  my  own  chapels,  as  their 
hopes  were  more  in  the  pockets  of  my  followers  than  in 


164  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 

their  own.  A  meeting  which  had  not  long  been  erected 
within  a  few  miles  of  Uxbridge,  in  Middlesex,  had  a  debt 
upon  it  which  the  people  wished  to  clear  off,  and  therefore 
proposed  to  have  two  sermons  preached  on  a  certain  day 
annually,  and  a  collection  at  each  sermon,  as  the  best 
method  of  extricating  the  chapel  out  of  debt ;  and  of  course 
I  was  once  invited  thither  upon  this  business.  I  travelled 
at  my  own  expense,  and  was  entertained  by  a  friend  of  my 
own  at  Uxbridge  :  I  preached  in  the  forenoon,  and  a  gen- 
tleman from  London  was  to  preach  in  the  afternoon ;  and 
if  I  was  rightly  informed,  my  collection  was  fourteen 
pounds ;  what  the  gentleman  got  I  know  not,  as  I  went  off 
as  soon  as  I  had  finished  my  discourse.  The  year  following 
a  minister  of  yearly  fame  was  invited,  who  promised  either 
to  go  himself  or  to  send  his  curate,  upon  these  conditions ; 
namely,  that  they  would  promise  him  "  never  to  suffer  that 
fellow  Huntington  to  preach  among  them  any  more ; " 
which  request  the  principal  person  of  the  meeting  submis- 
sively listened  to,  and  promised  to  admit  me  there  no  more: 
Who  can  stand  before  envy?  Upon  these  conditions  the 
good  man  promised  either  to  go  or  to  send  ;  but  at  the  same 
time  observed,  that  the  travelling  expenses  must  be  borne; 
which  was  making  a  sure  bargain,  and  in  which  the  vicar 
displayed  more  wisdom  than  I  did  ;  and  this  they  agreed  to 
also,  knowing,  as  every  man  must,  that  the  laborer  is  worthy 
of  his  hire.  The  time  came  round  for  another  anniversary, 
and  the  curate  went  and  preached,  and  enforced  the  collec- 
tion :  and  when  the  preacher's  entertainment,  travelling 
expenses,  &c.,  were  defrayed,  there  remained  two  pence 
towards  the  debt  of  the  chapel.  Neither  their  promise  nor 
their  conscience  would  ever  suffer  them  again  to  invite  me : 
and  as  for  the  curate,  they  found  him  (in  money  matters) 
to  be  an  unprofitable  servant,  and  therefore  they  took  coun- 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  165 

sel,  and  laid  the  anniversary  aside  from  that  day  forward  ; 
which  was  a  better  work   in  the  sight  of  God  than  that  of 

O 

bringing  it  into  use. 

I  was  formerly  often  invited  to  preach  at  a  meeting  in 
Little  St.  Helens,  where  I  preached  at  seven  o'clock  on  a 
Lord's  day  morning.  That  lecture  had  been  long  estab- 
lished for  the  benefit  of  servants,  who  by  reason  of  their 
domestic  employ,  could  not  attend  on  the  service  of  God  at 
the  usual  times  of  public  worship.  The  persons  who  in- 
vited me,  informed  me  that  most  of  the  supporters  of  that 
lecture  were  dead,  and  that  whenever  they  had  a  collection 
sermon  for  it  they  seldom  got  more  than  twenty  or  thirty 
shillings.  Hearing'these  things  I  therefore  promised  to  go, 
and  was  well  attended.  Not  long  after,  I  was  invited  again, 
and  the  place  was  so  crowded  that  great  numbers  could  not 
get  in  ;  and  as  I  was  informed,  I  collected  ten  pounds.  I 
inquired  at  last,  as  they  came  frequently  to  ask  me  to 
preach,  who  the  ministers  were  that  preached  the  lectures, 
and  they  told  me  their  names,  but  I  knew  none  of  them  ; 
and  farther,  that  they  had  a  guinea  a  time  for  preaching,  and 
that  they  were  board-ministers,  or  ministers  belonging  to 
the  board.  But  I  was  not  a  board-minister,  therefore  the 
lecture  had  my  labor  gratis :  my  office  was  to  preach  the 
guineas  together,  while  that  of  the  board-ministers  was  to 
preach  them  away.  I  thought  of  a  story  that  I  once  heardr 
namely,  of  a  man  putting  potatoes  into  the  fire  to  roast, 
while  a  monkey  sitting  before  it  observed  him  :  the  mon- 
key wanted  the  potatoes,  but  fearing  to  burn  his  own  pawj 
took  the  fore  foot  of  the  cat  to  rake  it  out  of  the  fire, 
whilst  he  ate  it  himself.  Whoever  was  the  monkey,  I  was 
the  cat.  At  length  I  got  sick  of  this;  nevertheless  they 
came  again,  and  entreated  me  to  come  and  give  them  another 
sermon.  I  replied,  "  There  is  to  be  a  collection,  I  suppose." 
22  » 


166  THE     BANK     OF  'FAITH. 

They  answered,  "O  yes,  sir."  I  replied,  "I  have  no 
doubt  of  it,  but  depend  upon  it  I  will  be  your  cat's  paw  no 
longer  ;  "  and  I  saw  them  no  more.  But  soon  after  I  heard 
the  lecture  was  dropped,  though  I  think  it  might  have  been 
kept  up  to  this  day,  if  the  board-men  had  labored  on  as 
reasonable  terms  as  I  did.  Some  years  I  toiled  up  and 
down  in  this  way,  preaching  collections  for  one  minister  or 
other.  Every  where,  and  in  all  things,  I  am  instructed, 
says  Paul ;  and  so  am  I :  for  the  vicar's  bargain  for  his 
curate,  and  the  board-men  leaving  off  when  money  failed, 
brought  me  a  determination  not  to  labor  for  nothing;  es- 
pecially, having,  been  , informed  that  some  called  ministers 
have  been  sitting  at  home  while  I  have  been  preaching  for 
them,  who  have  ridiculed  me  after  I  had  begged  money  ; 
and  well  they  might,  for  who  but  a  fool,  when  God  has  used 
a  shepherd  to  collect  a  flock  together,  would  lead  that 
flock  from  post  to  pillar,  on  purpose  to  shear  them,  and 
give  the  wool  to  men  whom  I  know  not  whence  they  be? 
Bless  my  God,  these  board-men  have  taught  me  better 
things ;  I  keep  my  flock  at  home,  and  shear  them  for  my 
own  profit ;  and  sure  none  can  have  so  much  right  to  the 
wool  as  those  who  labor  day  and  night  to  feed  the  sheep; 
and  I  have  vanity  enough  to  think  that  they  had  rather  the 
profits  of  the  fleece  fell  to  my  share  than  to  any  other. 
Many  journeys  of  one  hundred,  two  hundred,  or  three 
hundred  miles,  which  have  cost  ten,  twenty,  or  thirty  pounds 
a  journey,  have  I  travelled,  and  at  the  same  time  paid  one 
pound  five  shillings  per  week  for  a  supply  at  home  in  my  ab- 
sence ;  but  I  confine  my  labors  now,  not  to  every  place  where  I 
am  invited,  but  where  I  am  well  known,  and  where  there  are 
poor  hungry  Souls  to  feed :  to  these  my  mouth  is  open,  and 
to  me  their  heart  is.  God  has  not  sons  of  peace  in  every 
house.  But  I  must  now  return  from  this  digression,  seeing 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  167 

it  is  high  time  that  some  other  burden  be  laid  on  my  shoul- 
ders, which  soon  came  to  pass ;  but  more  of  this  at  some 
future  opportunity.  Excuse  the  length  of  the  epistle  ;  the 
largeness  of  its  bulk  was  occasioned  by  the  opportunity  I 
had  of  conveying  it,  for  two  shillings  worth  of  postage 
could  not  have  produced  half  this  quantity  of  tidings.  I 
had  now  and  then  a  pleasing  fit  of  laughter  while  writing 
it,  and  thou  wilt  feel  something  besides  a  spring  of  tears 
in  reading  it ;  so  I  conclude,  and  so  you  will  confess. 
Beloved,  adieu. 

w.  ft.   s.  s. 


LETTER   V. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dear  Fiiend  : 

AT  the  conclusion  of  my  last,  I  intimated  that  another 
load  was  much  wanting :  and  now  a  council  was  held,  to 
consult  about  laying  a  few  more  sacks  upon  the  mill  :  this 
second  addition,  or  second  edition  of  burdens  with  addi- 
tions, is  what  I  am  going  next  to  relate ;  the  reading  of 
which  will  make  you  feel  for  me,  as  the  weight  of  it  made 
me  feel  for  myself. 

The  congregation  began  greatly  to  increase,  and  the  heat 
of  the  place  in  times  of  service  began  to  be  almost  unbear- 
able ;  it  was  of  course  thought  necessary  to  enlarge  the 
chapel.  Now  there  was  a  spare  bit  of  ground,  which  lay 
about  the  middle  of  the  chapel  against  the  east  wall,  the 
dimensions  of  which  were  thirty  feet  by  twenty-five,  and 
this  spare  morsel  of  ground  had  nothing  on  it  but  a  shed : 
this  ground  we  endeavored  to  get,  and  intended  to  break 
through  on  that  side  the  chapel,  and  so  to  throw  the  chapel 
into  a  triangular  form,  and  to  move  the  pulpit  to  the  centre 
of  the  gallery  on  the  west  side,  that  so  it  might  face  the 
new-intended  erection.  The  gentleman  who  held  this 
ground  by  lease  was  applied  to;  and  he,  in  company  with  a 
builder,  met  with  me  and  a  few  friends  of  mine,  and  inti- 
mated that  he  was  willing  to  accommodate  us;  of  course 
we  wished  to  know  his  terms,  or  what  he  expected  for 
ground-rent,  and  he  told  us  his  price  was  one  hundred 
guineas  per  annum  :  The  heaven,  even  the  heavens,  are  the 
Lord's ;  but  the  earth  hath  he  given  to  the  children  of  men. 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  169 

Psalm  cxv.  16.  And  so  I  found  it,  and  they  are  determined 
to  make  the  most  of  it.  I  have  been  informed,  but  I  can- 
not avouch  it,  that  all  the  ground  on  which  that  oblong 
pile  of  buildings  stands  within  the  compass  of  the  four 
streets,  of  which  my  chapel  is  a  part,  pays  no  more  to  his 
Grace,  the  Duke  of  Portland,  than  fourteen  pounds  a  year ; 
but,  if  it  was  all  to  be  let  in  the  same  proportion  as  was 
demanded  of  me  it  could  not  (I  think)  bring  in  less  than 
ten  thousand  pounds  per  annum.  But,  as  Canaan  was  to 
be  a  servant  of  servants,  so  I  must  have  been  a  tenant  of 
tenants.  Finding  nothing  could  be  done  with  the  earth- 
holders,  I  turned  my  eyes  another  way,  and  determined  to 
build  my  stories  in  the  heaven,  (Amos  ix.  6,)  where  I  should 
find  more  room  and  less  rent :  and  to  this  my  friends 
agreed  ;  namely,  to  raise  the  chapel  one  story  higher,  and 
to  carry  a  flight  of  galleries  all  round  it.  The  next  thing 
was  to  find  out  a  man  to  execute  this  design,  and  one  was 
soon  pitched  upon  as  capable  of  the  undertaking.  But 
what  I  wanted  to  get  at  most,  was  whereabouts  the  expense 
would  be  :  For  the  destruction  of  the  poor  is  their  poverty. 
Besides,  my  shoulders  having  been  kept  raw  for  seven  or 
eight  years  together,  and  it  was  but  lately  that  they  had 
begun  to  heal,  and  remaining  exceeding  sore  and  tender,  I 
was  more  afraid  of  another  burden  than  I  was  of  the  heat 
of  the  day,  lest  it  should  terminate  in  an  abscess,  and  I 
should  be  -left  to  the  accusations  of  the  devil  as  an  incura- 
ble. But,  when  the  expense  was  named,  it  did  not  appear 
so  alarming;  he  told  me  he  thought  it  would  amount  to 
four  hundred  pounds;  this  was  a  shoeing-horn,  only  to  draw 
me  on.  But,  as  the  person  often  sat  under  me  as  a  hearer, 
I  thought  it  was  not  likely  that  one  who  could  face  the  rays 
of  light,  and  stand  the  force  of  truth,  would,  or  could, 
willingly  and  wilfully  deceive  a  servant  of  Christ :  But 


170  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 

their  inward  thought  and  heart  is  deep;  (Psalm  Ixiv.  6:) 
sharper  than  a  thorn  hedge.  Mic.  vii.  4. 

When  wisdom  wakes 

Suspicion  sleeps  at  wisdom's  gate, 

And  up  to  simplicity  resigns  her  charge : 

Where  Goodness  thinks  no  ill  where  no  ill  seems. 

MILTON. 

We  must  not  measure  every  body's  corn  by  our  own  bushel; 
those  who  can  make  the  ephah  small  and  shekel  great,  will 
abide  by  their  own  standard,  till  they  have  filled  up  the 
measure  of  the  fathers. 

However,  we  began  and  went  on  with  the  work.  Hith- 
*erto  the  tub  had  stood  upon  its  own  bottom ;  or,  in  other 
words,  I  had  not  only  the  care  of  the  church,  the  care  of  a 
large  family,  and  for  a  long  time  the  principal  care  of  the 
poor,  till  they  made  me  poorer  than  themselves ;  but  I  had, 
also,  the  whole  burden  of  chapel  debt,  and  ten  thousand 
cares  how  to  get  that  burden  off.  Many,  perceiving  that  it 
was  with  the  greatest  reluctance  that  I  bowed  my  shoulders 
the  second  time,  advised  me  to  try  the  liberality  of  my 
friends,  and  to  see  if  they  would  not  put  their  shoulders  to 
the  work.  To  this  I  readily  agreed  :  but  we  determined  to 
move  only  in  the  circle  of  our  own  acquaintance,  or  to  call 
upon  such,  and  only  such,  as  attended  my  ministry,  leaving 
other  ministers  to  enjoy  their  own  fleece ;  and  by  this  rule 
we  abode :  into  any  other  little  hill  of  Zion,  into  the  way 
of  the  Gentiles,  or  into  any  of  the  cities  of  the  Samaritans, 
we  entered  not.  To  begging,  therefore,  we  went ;  and  as 
the  work  of  the  chapel  went  on,  so  I  saw  more  and  more 
the  necessity  of  pursuing  this  calling :  for  I  shortly  per- 
ceived that  I  was  in  the  hands  of  a  man  who  could  have 
no  feeling  for  my  shoulders,  nor  any  more  mercy  upon  my 
pocket  than  an  angry  God  will  have  upon  a  hypocrite  in 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  171 

Zion ;  and,  to  the  honor  of  God  and  the  credit  of  his  peo- 
ple be  it  spoken,  there  was  not  one  we  visited  that  frowned 
upon  us,  or  that  showed  an  angry  countenance,  or  that  sent 
us  empty  away.  They  were  as  generous  to  me  with  their 
pocket  as  I  am  to  them  with  a  springing  cruse  in  the  pulpit, 
and  we  found  begging  to  be  a  delightful  employ.  Besides, 
God  kept  us  so  happy  in  visiting  the  brethren,  that  we  sowed 
many  spiritual  things  while  we  reaped  carnal ;  so  that  they 
were  as  glad  to  see  us  as  we  were  to  rob  them  ;  and  after  a 
few  of  these  trading  tours  we  came  to  a  conclusion  of  the 
business ;  and  when  we  sat  down  under  the  hedge,  and  had 
put  the  money  into  our  hats,  and  had  counted  it  up,  we 
found  it  to  amount  to  the  total  sum  of  seven  hundred 
pounds  :  so  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  prevailed, 
not  only  over  books  of  curious  arts,  but  over  the  root  of  all 
evil.  But  all  this  wonderful  and  unexpected  liberality  was 
far  from  being  sufficient  to  enable  me  to  go  upright :  I  must 
still  bow  my  shoulders  to  bear,  and  become  a  servant  to 
tribute.  Gen.  xlix.  15.  For,  when  the  work  was  finished, 
and  the  bills  brought  in,  the  four  hundred  was  swelled  to 
that  degree  that  it  amounted  to  one  thousand  two  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds  !  I  believe  it  to  be  the  best  job,  and  the 
worst,  that  ever  he  took  in  hand.  I  cannot  forget  it,  nor 
do  I  believe  that  ever  he  will.  By  these  exorbitant  charges 
my  debts  were  greatly  increased  :  but  the  reason  he  as- 
signed for  it  was,  that  I  had  given  the  men  so  much  victuals 
and  drink  that  they  wasted  much  of  his  time  in  consuming 
it ;  and,  though  he  and  his  sons  shared  in  my  liberality,  yet 
he  made  me  redeem  the  time  they  lost,  because  my  bounty 
was  evil :  nevertheless,  I  would  sooner  bear  the  burden  of 
a  thousand  such  bills,  than  the  weight  of  such  a  builder's 
conscience.  The  remains  of  my  old  debt  were  upwards  of 
three  hundred  pounds  ;  this  new  addition  was  five  hundred 


172 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 


and  thirty :  and  these,  together  with  small  debts  contracted 
while  this  work  was  doing  (besides  my  liberality  to  the  men,) 
made  the  weight  of  my  future  burden  amount  to  about  nine 
hundred  pounds.  With  this  load  I  began  my  second  stage; 
but  before  I  had  travelled  far  an  additional  weight  was 
added.  I  had  got  together  one  hundred  pounds,  and  I  had 
it  in  my  pocket,  intending  in  a  day  or  two  to  pay  it  away. 
A  friend  of  .mine  (falsely  so  called)  knew  this,  and  on  the 
Lord's  day  morning  came  into  the  vestry  to  me,  and  in- 
formed me  that  a  person  whom  I  respected  was  going  to  be 
arrested  for  the  small  sum  of  sixty  pounds,  and  pressed  me 
hard  to  lend,  him  the  money  I  then  had  in  my  pocket.  I 
told  him  I  was  altogether  a  stranger  to  the  gentleman's 
circumstances :  "  But,"  says  he,  "  I  am  not,  and  had  I  a 
thousand  pounds  I  would  lend  it  him."  I  replied,  "  I  have 
no  objection. to  lend  it  to  you."  Upon  this  a  friend  in  the 
vestry  interfered,  and  took  him  to  task  for  dragging  the 
money  from  me.  Nevertheless,  he  followed  me  up  :  but  I 
still  replied,  "  I  am  willing  to  lend  it  to  you."  And  at  last 
he  replied,  "  Well,  do  then."  So  I  gave  it  him.  In  the 
evening  he  came  into  the  vestry  to  me,  with  such  a  counte- 
nance as  I  shall  never  forget,  and  put  a  scrap  of  paper 
doubled  up  down  upon  the  table,  and  departed :  which, 
when  I  examined,  I  found  to  be  the  gentleman's  note,  not 
his  own.  In  a  few  days  after  the  gentleman  failed  in  busi- 
ness, and  went  to  prison,  and  then  the  whole  matter  came 
to  light.  The  person  who  was  in  danger  of  losing  the  sixty 
pounds,  was  brother-in-law  to  him  who  squeezed  the  money 
from  me:  so  that  the  plan  was  well  laid,  and  well  executed. 
He  that  pressed  me  to  lend  the  money  was  worth  some 
thousands  himself,  and  so  was  he  that  got  in  his  sixty  pound 
debt,  and  I  had  one  hundred  pounds  more  added  to  the 
other  nine,  which  set  me  down  within  twenty  or  thirty 


THE     BANK     OF     FAIT 


pounds  of  the  same  sum  with  which  I  started  at  first.      The 
men  of  this  world  arc   in  their  generation   wisei^than  the.    **^, 
children  of  light ;  and  yet  one  child  of  light  is   wiser  than 
all  the  men  of  this  generation. 

Finding  this  recruiting  of  the  burden  to  sit  very  heavy, 
except  at  times  when  much  favored  with  the  presence  of 
God,  and  it  being  such  a  matter  for  the  old  accuser  to  work 
upon  in  every  time  of  trouble,  I  determined  to  take  an 
account  of  my  books,  I  mean  my  own  publications;  and 
when  this  was  done,  and  the  value  of  the  stock  cast  up,  I 
found  I  had  eight  hundred  pounds  worth  of  books,  and  the 
stationer  and  printer  both  clear.  I  resolved  with  myself  to 
part  with  them,  and  with  my  copy-right :  and  here  I  had 
various  struggles  between  feeling  for  self,  and  feeling  for 
others ;  I  thought,  on  the  one  hand,  that  rny  books  might 
be  of  some  service  to  the  large  family  I  might  leave  behind, 
never  expecting  to  leave  them  any  thing  else ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  being  continually  in  debt  was  a  sore  burden, 
and  the  fears  of  dying  so  would  not  suffer  me  at  times  to 
sleep.  I  therefore  resolved  to  part  with  them ;  but  then 
who  to  apply  to  was  the  next  thing  to  be  considered ;  and  I  , 
knew  that  whoever  bought  them  had  need  of  some  money, 
as  some  of  them  would  lie  long  on  their  hands,  which  I 
also  considered ;  and  afterwards  I  fixed  the  price  in  my 
own  mind,  which  was  four  hundred  pounds,  no  more  nor 
less ;  and  then  I  mentioned  it  to  a  gentleman  of  the  city, 
who  agreed  to  take  them,  and  who  paid  me  the  money ;  and 
this  reduced  my  debt  to  somewhat  less  than  six  hundred 
pounds.  Soon  after  this,  the  gentleman  who  failed  in  bus- 
iness above  mentioned,  who  had  my  hundred  pounds,  sent 
me  fifty  pounds  of  it  back  again,  which  was  all  he  could 
ever  pay,  and  this  was  more  than  I  ever  expected.  A  kind 
friend  of  mine,  at  the  other  end  of  the  town,  about  this 


174  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

time  gave  me  twenty  pounds,  and  another  sent  me  ten 
pounds  ;  and  now  I  was  enabled  to  diminish  my  debt  to  the 
sum  of  five  hundred  pounds ;  and  there  it  remained  for  a 
long  time,  without  either  addition  or  diminution.  In  the 
mean  time  I  continually  entreated  the  Lord  to  let  his  good- 
ness pass  before  me,  and  to  enable  his  own  servant  to 
answer  all  just  demands  that  might  be  made  upon  me ;  and, 
bless  his  Majesty,  in  his  own  time  he  did,  as  will  appear  in 
my  next. 

Farewell,  mercy  and  peace  be  with  thee :  so  prays 
Ever  thine  in  the  Lord, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER    VI. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 
Dear  Fiiend  in  the  beat  of  Bonds  : 

You  may  say  of  me  at  the  reception  of  this,  as  Joseph's 
brethren  said  at  the  sight  of  him,  Behold,  the  dreamer 
cometh;  for  the  ensuing  contents  were  prefaced  with  a 
dream.  I  one  night  dreamed  that  I  was  in  a  garden  in 
company  with  another  person,  but  know  not  who  that  per- 
son was.  This  garden  was  some  part  walled,  and  some 
part  of  the  walls  was  in  ruins :  some  parts  of  the  garden 
were  cultivated,  well  cropped  and  planted,  and  the  plants 
were  in  a  very  thriving  condition.  Other  parts  were  undug, 
very  foul,  and  covered  over  with  various  heaps  of  rubbish, 
and  with  many  old  slabs  of  oak  timber  thrown  about,  and 
on  these  uncultivated  parts  I  saw  a  vast  number  of  large 
black  toads,  as  big  as  a  Jersey  croppo :  I  was  not  in  this 
ground  as  an  idle  spectator,  but  as  a  laborer,  digging,  plant- 
ing, &-c.  I  got  hold  of  a  tool  resembling  a  gardener's 
edging-iron,  and  advised  the  man  who  was  with  me  to  help 
me  in  killing  these  reptiles;  and  we  both  laid  about  us  like 
madmen  ;  and  I  saw  that  I  laid  the  back  of  every  one  open 
that  I  struck  at ;  and  as  we  were  killing  these  I  saw  others 
creeping  away,  some  under  the  old  slabs,  and  others  in 
among  the  old  bricks  which  lay  in  the  heaps  of  rubbish ; 
and,  having  killed  all  we  saw,  I  said,  Now  let  us  dig,  and 
clear  away  all  these  parts  where  the  toads  lay,  and  let  us 
sow  and  plant  them ;  and  when  we  have  done  that,  then  we 
will  fall  upon  the  others ;  we  will  turn  over  a  slab  at  a  time 
and  kill  all  we  find,  and  then  we  will  have  at  them  that  are 
hid  in  the  rubbish.  To  this  we  agreed,  and  to  digging  we 


176  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

,went;  but  laboring,  as  I  thought,  exceeding  hard,  I  woke 
myself,  and  behold  it  was  a  dream.  Mr.  Jermine,  at  Pad- 
dington,  and  Morgan,  one  of  my  pew-openers,  were  that 
morning  brewing  for  me,  and  to  them  I  told  the  dream,  but 
none  of  us  could  make  any  thing  of  it. 

It  came  to  pass  soon  after  this  that  a  gentleman  from 
Plymouth-dock  came  to  town,  and  who  often  attended  my 
ministry  during  his  stay ;  and  before  he  departed  he  wrote 
me  a  very  kind  letter,  inviting  me  to  preach  at  a  meeting  at 
the  dock,  to  which  himself  and  some  of  his  family  belonged  ; 
and  gave  me  to  understand  that  he  thought  they  had  the 
gospel  tolerably  clear  preached  to  them.  This  I  considered ; 
and,  having  formerly  had  various  invitations  to  go  to  that 
part  of  the  country,  signed  by  many  persons,  I  was  inclined 
to  go ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  now  but  it  really  was  the  mind 
and  will  of  God  that  I  should  go.  But  being  sometimes 
much  put  to  it  to  get  a  supply  in  my  absence,  and  the  good 
man's  letter  intimating  that  he  thought  the  preacher  they 
had  was  sound  in  doctrine,  and  useful  in  the  work,  I  thought 
it  best  to  agree  with  the  old  gentleman's  request,  to  let  their 
preacher  come  up  and  officiate  for  me  in  my  absence ;  and 
this  was  agreed  on,  and  I  took  my  journey.  But,  previous 
to  my  going  down,  I  had  been  much  grieved  and  exercised 
in  my  mind  at  seeing  the  rapid  progress  of  the  sentiments 
and  rebellion  of  Tom  Paine;  and  especially  when  I  saw 
some  simple,  God-fearing  people  much  leavened  with  it. 

Never  did  I  see  so  evil  a  spirit  so  rapidly  spread  before, 
and  I  hope  I  never  shall  again :  many  of  the  poorer  sort 
neglected  all  business,  and  all  care  for  their  families,  till 
they  brought  death  into  .the  pot.  And  many  of  the  real 
children  of  God,  when  they  saw  that  whole  families  and 
crowded  societies  were  all  moved  as  the  trees  of  the  wood 
are  moved,  and  that  many  ministers  in  the  pulpit,  and 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  177 

swarms  of  hypocrites  in  the  pews,  were  carried  away  with 
it  —  it  tarnished  not  a  few  in  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel; 
and  the  image  of  Christ  began  to  be  sadly  defaced  in  many  ; 
and  instead  thereof  sprung  up  self-conceit,  worldly  wisdom, 
high  notions  of  equality,  and  a  thirst  for  revenge  against  all 
that  differed  in  sentiment  from  them.  Many  professing 
people,,  as  well  as  others,  began  to  meet  together  in  compa- 
nies to  read  the  wisdom  of  Tom  Paine,  till  the  strongest 
union  was  cemented  among  them  by  disaffection  to  others : 
wherever  it  came  it  preyed  upon  the  very  vitals  of  godli- 
ness ;  filial  fear,  tenaerness  of  heart,  conscience  before  God, 
timidity  in  prayer,  self-diffidence,  humility,  meekness,  watch- 
fulness, quietude,  peace,  diligence  in  business,  zeal  for  God, 
and  fervor  in  devotion,  seemed  to  have  forsaken  many  ;  and 
not  a  few  that  my  soul  loved  were  sadly  fermented  with  this 
leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness.  Satan  cares. not  what  we 
strive  and  contend  about,  so  that  we  do  not  strive  at  the 
straight  gate,  nor  contend  for  the  faith  of  the  saints.  When 
I  saw  what  a  hand  the  devil  made,  and  the  advantage  he 
gained  by  trading  with  Tom  Paine,  my  soul  was  grieved 
and  my  zeal  inflamed  against  this  monopoly  of  Satan,  and 
God  filled  me  with  power  and  might  by  his  Spirit  to  oppose 
it;  and  the  farther  I  went  on  in  it  the  more  the  word  of 
God  opened  to  me,  until  he  was  pleased  to  show  me  where- 
abouts in  his  word  this  trying  hour  stood. 

Much  displeasure  did  I  incur  at  this  work  :  some  (like 
the  Galatians)  who  would  formerly  have  parted  with  their 
own  eyes  for  me,  now  viewed  me  as  their  greatest  enemy 
for  enforcing  the  clearest  truth;  not  a  few  hissed  like  a 
viper  in  the  gallery,  while  I  was  insisting  on  obedience  to 
him  that  bruised  the  serpent's  tyead.  About  this  time  I 
published  my  sermon  on  The  Books  and  the  Parchments, 
and  this  exasperated  many  still  more,  till  one  would  have 
23 


178  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

thought  that  the  former  cry  of  Hosanna,  was  now  changed 
into  that  of  Crucify  him,  Crucify  him.  But  God's  servants 
have  a  better  foundation  than  either  the  testimony  or  the 
applause  of  men.  I  was  upon  the  rock  long  before  either 
their  applause  or  reproach  fell  upon  me.  The  Jews  re- 
joicing in  John's  light  added  nothing  to  his  grace,  and  their 
changing  their  minds  and  calling  him  a  devil  never  .altered 
his  complexion.  What  God  doctli  it  is  done  for  ever; 
nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it ;  and 
God  doth  it  that  men  might  fear  bcforehim.  Eccl.  iii.  14. 

In  the  midst  of  this  bustle,  and  under  this  cloud  of  pleas- 
ure, I  set  off  for  Plymouth-dock,  and  the  preacher  at  the 
dock  came  up  as  a  supply  in  my  absence.  The  man  was 
an  entire  stranger  to  me,  and  so  he  remains  still,  for  to  this 
day  I  do  not  know  him.  When  I  came  to  the  place  I  heard 
that  there  had  been  a  division  and  a  sub-division  among  the 
people,  which  I  never  knew  till  then ;  and  during  my  stay 
there  I  had  various  reports  from  those  of  my  own  chapel, 
some  greatly  disgusted  at  his  doctrine,  and  others  as  much 
admiring  it ;  but  before  I  left  the  place  I  heard  very  disa- 
greeable things  from  a  real  friend  of  his  own,  who  was 
compelled  in  point  of  conscience  to  divulge  what  he  did. 
This  sent  me  home  with  a  heavy  heart ;  and  at  rny  return 
I  saw  a  wonderful  blaze,  but  I  was  sure  the  coals  were 
never  taken  from  the  altar  of  burnt-offering;  they  were 
zealously  affected,  but  not  well.  Wild  rant  and  empty 
oratory,  moving  the  corrupt  affections  of  depraved  nature, 
produced  all  these  sparks ;  and  many  poor  souls  walked  in 
the  light  of  this  fire,  and  in  the  sparks  that  they  had  kin- 
dled ;  but  the  light  of  this  flame  burns  no  longer  than  the 
audible  accents  of  the  orator  operate ;  it  all  dies  before  the 
hearer  can  reach  the  threshold  of  his  door  ;  and  at  a  dying 
hour,  and  at  the  midnight  cry,  the  very  remembrance  of  it 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  179 

shall  vanish.  Walk  in  the  light  of  your  Jire,  and  in  the 
sparks  that  you  have  kindled;  this  shall  you  have  at  my 
hand,  you  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow.  Isa.  1.  11.  I  had  all  . 
these  briars  and  thorns  to  cope  with.  And  surely  the  man 
that  shall  touch  them  must  be  fenced  with  iron  and  the  staff 
of  a  spear,  and  they  shall  be  utterly  burnt  in  the  same 
place.  2  Sam.  xxiii.  6,  7. 

When  I  insisted  upon  fire  from  the  altar  of  burnt-offer- 
ing, and  that  it  appertained  to  the  tribe  of  Eevi,  or  to  them 
that  were  joined  to  the  Lord,  to  burn  incense,  this  brought 
the  whole  company  of  Korah  upon  me  ;  and,  if  I  enforced 
obedience  to  rulers  for  conscience'  sake,  this  stirred  up  all 
the  disciples  of  Tom  Paine.  And  now  I  had  need  be  made 
a  new  sharp  threshing-instrument,  having  teeth,  to  thresh 
these  mountains,  and  make  these  hills  as  chaff;  in  order  to 
fan  them,  that  the  wind  might  carry  them  away,  and  that 
the  whirlwind  might  scatter  them,  that  those  that  were  left 
might  rejoice  in  flie  Lord,  and  glory  in  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel.  Isa.  xli.  15,  16.  And  by  the  good  hand  of  our  God 
upon  us  we  saw  every  word  of  this  prophecy  exactly  ful- 
filled ;  for  as  the  thffesher  went  on  the  vermin  hissed  in  the 
mow,  the  chaff  flew  like  smoke  out  of  the  chimney,  while 
the  pure  grain  fell  not  to  the  ground,  but  under  a  spirit  of 
meekness  consolidated  together  into  one  heap,  and  the  rest 
were  scattered  in  the  imagination  of  their  hearts,  and  soon 
after  not  less  than  fifteen  were  in  their  graves.  While  it 
pleased  God  to  continue  me  at  this  work  of  threshing,  the 
Holy  Ghost  spoke  these  words  to  my  heart :  Shall  not  God 
avenge  his  own  elect?  A  word  spoken  in  due  season,  how 
good  is  it?  I  thanked  my  God,  and  took  courage  still  to 
labor  at  threshing  the  mountains,  expecting  more,  wheat 
as  soon  as  the  chaff  was  gone  :  for  I  had  not  a  single  doubt 
but  I  should  still  prophesy  upon  the  thick  boughs.  In  this 


180  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

I  was  not  disappointed  of  my  hopes,  nor  were  my  expecta- 
tions out  off;  for,  when  the  floor  was  purged,  those  that 
were  scattered  sent  for  this  new  standard-bearer  up,  with 
many  promises  of  fidelity.  But  those  who  are  false  to  the 
true  riches  are  never  true  to  the  unrighteous  mammon,  for 
they  abode  less  time  under  him  than  th£y  did  under  me. 
And  sure  I  am  that  this  work  was  of  God ;  for  some  few 
among  us,  who  were  much  looked  up  to  as  something  more 
than  men,  were  now  looked  away  from  as  being  less  than 
nothing :  others,  who  had  some  exalting  notions  of  their 
own  self-sufficiency  to  tread  out  the  corn,  set  up  a  prayer- 
meeting,  as  an  introduction  to  the  pulpit :  but,  not  succeed- 
ing in  this,  with  shame  they  took  the  loioest  room;  while 
many  poor  honest  souls,  who  could  read  only  the  Bible 
before,  now  learnt  to  read  men ;  and  not  a  few,  who  long 
had  appeared  all  meekness  and  placidity,  lost  that  garb,  and 
the  envy  in  their  bosom  never  suffered  them  to  put  it  on 
again.  In  the  «torm  I  had  a  five  hundred  pound  debt  upon 
the  chapel,  and  many,  filled  with  envy,  prophesied  that  I 
should  carry  that  burden  to  my  grave :  but  all  men  know 
not  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord.  I  one^day,  sitting  in  my 
chair  in  the  chapel,  asked  the  Almighty  what  I  had  done  to 
these  men,  wherein  I  had  misled  them,  or  whom  I  had 
wronged?  And  the  Spirit  of  God  answered,  When  they 
shall  make  an  end  to  deal  treacherously,  thou  shalt  deal 
treacherously  with  them.  Isa.  xxxiii.  1.  And  so  it  fell  out, 
for  not  a  few  acted  the  parts  of  Sanballat  and  Tobiah; 
when  they  grew  weary  and  ashamed  of  hindering  the  work, 
turned  about  and  offered  to  assist  in  building :  but  there  is 
little  trust  to  be  put  in  men  whose  hearts  are  not  fixed 
trusting  in  God. 

But  time  fails ;  I  must  therefore  take  my  leave  of  my 
dearly  beloved  friend,  with  my  best  wishes  attending  these 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  181 

scraps;  and,  as  you  seem  pleased  with  them,  and  are  no 
great  admirer  of  money,  the  postman  will,  in  all  probability, 
call  for  another  Eighteen  Pence,. as  soon  as  my  head  and 
my  hands  can  collect  materials  for  another  packet,  which  in 
time  will  bring  you  to  live  by  faith,  as  well  as 

Your  humble  servant, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER    VII. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord  Jesus : 

AFTER  some  persons,  who  had  done  me  much  wrong, 
were  returning,  and  offering  to  assist,  I  had  another  dream, 
or  rather  the  old  dream  exhibited  over  again.  I  dreamed 
that  I  was  in  the  same  piece  of  ground  that  I  was  in  before  : 
I  was  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  garden,  where  it  was 
well  planted,  and  in  a  very  flourishing  state,  while  the  out- 
sides  all  round  were  covered  with  heaps  of  rubbish,  in  which 
the  large  black  toads  were  hid;  to  clear  away  that  rubbish, 
and  carry  it  forth  without  the  walls,  and  to  kill  the  toads, 
was  the  work  then  in  hand.  And  it  was  made  out  to  me, 
that  those  who  grieved  for  the  afflictions  of  Joseph,  and 
bemoaned  his  son  Ephraim,  to  them  God  would  restore 
comfort;  and  that  those  who  were  glad  at  Zion's  calamities 
must  be  left  to  the  punishment  of  the  Lord  :  He  that  re- 
ceiveth  you  receiveth  me,  says  Christ,  and  he  that  despiscth 
you  despiseth  me.  We  therefore  united  as  one  man  and 
separated  the  despisers  from  the  receivers  ;  the  living  stones 
they  cleaved  together,  and  the  rubbish  we  conveyed  with- 
out the  pale.  To  accomplish  this  work  was  Absalom  suf- 
fered to  rise  up  against  David  in  Jerusalem,  and  for  the 
same  cause  were  the  false  apostles  permitted  to  enter  the 
church  of  Corinth. 

During  this  time  it-  was  the  work  of  Samson  to  make 
sport  for  the  Philistines :  I  was  long  the  principal  subject 
of  a  Sunday's  newspaper ;  and  for  some  years  was  I  baited 
weekly  or  monthly  by  a  club  of  pouters,  who  hired  the 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  183 

Westminster  Forum  for  that  purpose ;  and  if  I  have 
been  rightly  informed,  the  chief  men  of  the  club,  assisted 
by  a  few  hand-bills,  have  cleared  thirty  pounds  on  an  eve- 
ning, by  a  crowded  mob  paying  sixpence  per  head  for  the 
entertainment ;  thus  one  way  or  other,  have  I  kept  fools 
alive  in  their  continual  sport  for  upwards  of  seven  years 
together,  besides  bringing  bread  to  their  cupboard  ;  many 
of  whom  would  no  doubt  have  suffered  want,  had  not  the 
grace  of  God  raised  me  up  to  lend  them  this  assistance, 
which  they  had  never  gratitude  enough  to  acknowledge. 

Nor  are  these  ungrateful  ones  the  only  set  of  men  who 
are  indebted  to  me :  many  of  our  young  spurious  missiona- 
ries, who  spring  up  in  a  night  and  wither  in  a  day,  when 
they  have  come  to  town  to  preach,  have  been  sadly  at  a  loss 
at  times  to  fill  up  thirty  or  forty  minutes,  when  a  few 
throws  at  me  have  made  matters  hang  together ;  and  this 
must  pass  for  a  watering  time.  But  to  return. 

While  numbers  were  rejoicing  at  the  thinness  of  the  con- 
gregation, and  at  the  apparent  diminution  of  my  income, 
God  moved  the  hearts  of  my  friends  to  contribute  among 
themselves  to  clear  off  the  debt  of  the  chapel :  they  gave 
me  near  four  hundred  pounds,  and  in  a  little  time  after  a 
person  left  me  two  hundred  more  by  will.  This  at  once 
cleared  the  whole  debt,  and  left  me  something  in  hand.  It 
is  a  bad  wind  that  blows  good  to  none.  By  this  fanning 
wind  God  not  only  purged  the  floor,  but  my  debt  also ;  for 
many  of  the  Lord's  people,  who  stood  for  some  time  amaz- 
ed at  the  strange  flame,  and  as  -it  were  halting  between  two 
opinions,  were  brought  to  a  conclusion,  by  seeing  how  soon 
the  candle  of  the  wicked  went  out;  it  was  quenched  at 
once,  and  we  heard  no  more  of  it,  and  then  the  affections 
of  the  people  came  back  to  me  :  which  put  me  in  Paul's 
path  of  experience,  when  he  said,  But  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord 


184  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

greatly,  that  now  at  last  your  care  for  me  hath  flourished 
again,  (Phil.  iv.  10,)  for  they  even  spoke  to  the  gentleman 
to  whom  I  sold  my  books,  and  he  sold  them  back  to  them, 
and  contributed  handsomely  himself;  they  not  only  sub- 
scribed to  buy  the  books,  but  raised  a  fund  to  reprint  some 
that  were  out  of  print.  God  hath  given  us  all  things  in 
Christ:  For  your  shame  you  shall  have  double,  and  for 
confusion  they  shall  rejoice  in  their  portion ;  therefore  in 
their  land  they  shall  possess  double  ;  everlasting  joy  shall 
be  unto  them.  Isai.  Ixi.  7.  I  had  long  entreated  the  Lord 
to  remove  this  load  from  my  shoulders ;  and  by  terrible 
things  in  righteousness  did  the  God  of  my  salvation  answer 
me ;  who  is  the  confidence  of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
of  them  that  are  afar  off  upon  the  sea.  Psalm  Ixv.  5. 

But  the  good  hand  of  my  God  stopped  not  here.  I  had 
told  the  whole  company  that  rose  up  against  me,  and  that 
publicly  in  the  chapel,  that  so  far  from  their  being  able  to 
pull  me  down,  they  must  not  wonder  to  see  me  in  my  coach 
when  old  age  came  on  me ;  nor  was  the  hand  of  God  with- 
drawn till  this  came  to  pass.  Upon  the  house  I  then  lived 
in,  and  on  the  garden,  I  had  not  expended  less  than  three 
hundred  pounds ;  my  lease  was  only  for  the  term  of  seven 
years;  but  as  I  gave  the  landlord  all  the  rent  he  asked,  and 
paid  it  punctually  every  quarter,  I  had  no  doubt  he  was 
contented  with  his  tenant ;  yea,  so  much  so,  that  he  wished 
me  to  get  a  tenant  that  I  liked  to  occupy  the  other  house 
which  joined  to  mine  ;  and  moreover  told  a  friend  who  paid 
him  my  rent,  that  I  might  prolong  my  lease  whenever  I 
would,  so  that  I  thought  myself  secure  enough.  But  this 
it  not  the  first  time  that  I  have  trusted  in  man,  in  whom 
there  is  no  help.  It  fell  out  that  one  night,  while  I  was  at 
Bolney  in  Sussex,  I  had  a  dream :  I  dreamed  that  I  was 
standing  in  my  yard  41  the  back  side  of  my  house,  and  all  on  t 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  185 

a  sudden  I  saw  my  house  fall  to  the  ground  :  it  fell  with  the 
front  downwards,  and  in  my  dream  I  saw  it  when  it  was 
down,  and  I  stood  neither  alarmed  nor  concerned  about  it; 
and  soon  I  awoke,  and  behold  it  was  a  dream.  And  as  I 
seemed  so  composed  about  the  fall  of  it,  I  thought  that  nei- 
ther me  nor  my  family  would  be  hurt  by  this  fall,  whatever 
it  meant.  The  next  morning  at  breakfast,  I  told  the  gen- 
tleman'? family,  at  whose  house  I  was,  the  dream ;  but  we 
could  make  nothing  of  it.  When  I  returned  home,  my 
dame  informed  me  that  my  landlord  had  been  to  inquire 
after  me ;  and  in  a  day  or  two  he  came  again  to  inform  me 
that  he  was  going  to  sell  his  houses.  I  desired  him  to  bring 
a  builder,  and  I  would  get  another,  and  they  two  should 
value  the  house ;  to  this  he  agreed.  But  in  stead  of  two 
builders  meeting,  he  brought  up  an  auctioneer,  who  set  the 
price  of  my  house  at  nine  hundred  pounds ;  whereas,  not 
many  years  before,  both  of  them  were  sold  for  four  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  at  that  time  they  were  let  for  twenty 
pounds  a  year  each.  The  auction  came  on,  and  they  were 
sold  ;  and  if  I  remember  right,  my  house  fetched  six  hun- 
dred guineas,  and  the  other  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds ; 
my  improvements  made  that  difference.  My  lease  being 
nearly  out,  I  had  another  habitation  to  seek,  and  went  two 
days,  but  in  vain,  as  I  wanted  some  rural  and  retired  spot. 
A  few  friends,  seeing  the  lease  of  my  present  residence 
advertised  to  be  sold,  went  (unknown  to  me)  to  see  it,  and 
much  approved  of  it. 

But  my  pen  must  stop ;  I  have  again  exceeded  the  bounds 
of  a  letter.     Dearly  beloved   and  longed-for,   my  joy   and 
crown,  stand  fast  in  the  Lord,  my  dearly  beloved;  so  prays 
Your  affectionate  friend, 

W  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER   VIII. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dear  Friend  in  the  Lord : 

I  AM  contriving  to  put  thee  to  a  little  more  expense  ; 
and,  if  I  continue  at  this  rate,  I  shall  make  you  as  poor  as 

myself.     Except  the  old  H is  a  little  more  prolific 

than  in  the  last  year,  twins  will  never  do  ;  but,  as  money  is 
no  part  of  your  God,  I  shall  venture. 

After  my  friends  had  been  once  or  twice  to  see  the  house 
they  informed  me  of  it,  and  advised  me  to  go  and  see  it ; 
which  I  did  :  but  the  concern  appeared  so  weighty,  that  I 
set  myself  against  it  to  the  utmost,  remembering  my  former 
affliction  and  my  misery,  the  wormwood  and  the  gall ;  nor 
was  there  one  in  all  my  family  who  approved  of  it  but 
Dame,  the  distance  appeared  so  far  from  town.  However, 
my  friends  mightily  pressed  me  to  it ;  ami.as  the  time  drew 
nigh  when  the  lease  was  to  be  sold,  they  determined  to 
attend  the  sale.*  I  prayed  day  and  night  that  they  might 
not  succeed  in  buying  it,  and  charged  them  to  bid  no  higher 
than  thirty  pounds ;  but  they  resolved  among  themselves  to 
bid  to  seventy  pounds.  It  was  put  up  at  five  pounds,  and 
there  was  not  one  bidder  till  one  of  my  friends  bid  the  five 
pounds,  and  it  was  knocked  down  to  him.  At  this  time  I 
had  another  dream.  I  dreamed  I  was  in  a  large  room,  and 
the  room  was  full  of  serpents,  and  the  bodies  of  the  ser- 
pents were  divided  at  the  middle  and  so  each  of  them  had 
two  necks  and  two  heads ;  and  many  of  them  crawled 
furiously  up  to  me  open-mouthed,  but  not  one  of  them  bit 
me ;  nor  was  I  at  all  terrified  at  them.  I  awaked,  and  be- 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  187 

held  it  was  a  dream.  But,  when  I  came  to  see  the  per- 
son that  I  had  to  deal  with,  the  dream  came  fresh  into  my 
mind.  I  saw  the  serpent ;  and  I  had  no  doubt  but  that 
there  were  more  heads  than  one ;  yea,  many  in  union  with 
him.  There  are  serpents,  and  a  generation  of  vipers  ;  and 
Christ  says  they  are  of  their  father.  And  never,  in  this 
world,  did  I  see  so  great  a  likeness  of  him. 

The  things  on  the  premises  were  to  be  taken  by  an 
appraisement ;  the  good  man  was  to  choose  one,  and  I  the 
other.  I  had,  in  my  own  mind,  fixed  upon  one  in  much 
practice ;  and,  had  I  made  choice  ofrhim,  I  should  have 
added  a  third  head  to  the  crooked  fraternity.  But  this*  was 
not  to  be ;  my  God  will  have  a  hand  in  all  my  affairs ;  and 
I  was  directed  by  him  to  inquire  after  another  of  great  note, 
and  who  stands  very  high  and  honorable  in  his  profession. 
And  this  gentleman  was  well  acquainted  with  the  reptile  that 
I  had  to  deal  with.  The  gentleman  that  he  employed  went 
through  the  work  first,  and  the  person  who  was  for  me  soon 
went  after  him  ;  and,  when  they  met  upon  the  business, 
they  could  not  agree  together  so  as  to  settle  the  affairs. 
During  which  time  my  kind  friend  with  two  heads  very 
politely  offered  me  possession  of  the  premises,  and  urged 
the  necessity  of  it,  as  the  second  crop  of  grass  was  fit  to 
cut,  which  I  well  knew,  and  took  it  very  kindly  of  him 
from  one  of  his  heads ;  but  I  could  not  take  my  eye  from 
the  other,  being  not  ignorant  of  Satan's  devices ;  and, 
suspecting  that  I  must  be  brought  to  submit  to  any  terms 
after  I  had  taken  possession,  I  therefore  declined  it  till 
the  matters  could  be  properly  adjusted.  The  principal 
matter  in  debate  was  respecting  a  small  quantity  of  manure, 
worth  about  six  pounds,  and  which,  according  to  the  tenor 
of  the  lease,  should  have  been  laid  on  the  land  before  that 
period.  My  appraiser  would  not  allow  me  to  pay  for  that, 


188  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

and  at  last  he  carried  his  point ;  and,  striking  the  dung  and 
other  matters  off  from  the  inventory,  they  both  agreed,  and 
for  the  stock  and  fixtures  I  paid  three  hundred  and  seventy 
pounds ;  and  then  took  possession  with  all  the  formalities 
and  punctilios  of  human  laws,  my  attorney  and  friends 
being  present  with  me. 

And  now  I  must  beg  my  dearly  beloved  friend's  pardon 
for  digressing  a  little  from  my  intended  subject,  in  order  to 
pursue  this  wriggling  family  a  little  farther,  and  to  convince 
thee  that  what  God  showed  me  in  vision  he  afterwards 
showed  me  in  reality ;  or,  to  speak  more  plainly,  I  really 
saw  with  my  bodily  eyes  those  very  creatures  creeping  upon 
the  earth,  which  at  first  appeared  only  in  imagination  ;  for 
I  had  not  been  long  in  possession  of  my  new  habitation 
before  I  received  a  squib,  or  rather  a  cracker,  for  there  were 
many  folds  and  doubles  in  its  meaning.  It  came  from  an 
honest  lawyer.  The  contents  were,  "  That  he  was  absent 
from  town  at  the  settling  of  our  affairs;  that  the  notion  of 
not  paying  for  the  dung  was  a  false  one ;  and  that,  if  he 
had  been  at  the  meeting,  his  client  should  have  been  paid. 
And  farther,  he  wished  to  know  what  I  thought  of  the 
matter."  This  opened  the  monstrous  mystery  of  .wo  heads 
a  little  more  plainly. 

A  secret  something  within  told  me  to  take  no  notice  of 
this.  I  showed  the  letter  to  Father  Green;  and  Mrs.  Green 
said  she  knew  the  honest  lawyer  well,  and  spoke  very  highly 
of  his  wisdom  in  his  profession,  telling  me  that  her  former 
husband,  who  died  a  member  with  us,  had  lent  a  person 
twenty  pounds ;  and  as  the  borrower  proved  a  villain,  her 
husband  employed  this  honest  attorney  to  recover  the  mon- 
ey :  but  he  never  recovered  one  farthing  of  it,  only  brought 
in  a  bill  of  twenty  pounds  more  for  his  trying,  or  not  trying, 
to  get  it.  And  surely,  if  the  unjust  steward  in  the  gospel, 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  189 

for  reducing  the  debts  of  his  lord's  debtors  to  nearly  half 
the  amount,  be  commended  because  he  had  done  wisely, 
this  good  man  has  a  right  to  the  same  honor ;  for  he  just 
doubled  the  debt,  and  got  the  same  sum  of  his  client  for 
himself  that  the  debtor  had  cheated  him  of  before.  But  to 
return.  The  silent  contempt  that  I  poured  upon  this  three- 
and-fourpenny  squib  brought  another  scrap  of  the  same 
price,  "desiring  to  know  where  my  attorney  lived,  that,  as 
I  chose  to  remain  silent  and  come  to  no  terms,  he  might 
debate  the  matter  with  him,"  &c.  I  took  the  wise  man's 
counsel ;  I  still  held  my  peace,  that  I  might  be  esteemed  a 
man  of  understanding ;  for  he  that  opcncth  wide  his  lips 
(in  such  cases)  shall  have  destruction.  Prov.  xiii.  3.  Soon 
after  I  was  served  with  a  something,  I  know  not  what,  as  it 
was  a  text  that  I  had  never  handled ;  but  I  remember  one 
of  the  heads  of  the  subject  was  "  forty  pounds  for  dung." 
After  some  little  trouble  of  collecting  witnesses  and  some 
few  materials  together,  it  came  into  Westminster  Hall. 
My  antagonist  seemed  quite  in  his  element.  Courts  of  law 
were  his  sunny  banks,  where  he  folded  himself  in  many  a 
coil,  and  raised  his  crest  to  such  a  Freight,  that  he  was 
heard  by  my  friends  to  say  that  he  knew  law  enough  for 
twenty  men.  I  would  to  God  that  he  had  been  taught  a 
few  lessons  from  the  old  lawgiver  of  the  Jews.  Moses 
would  have  made  him  talk  less  and  do  more.  However, 
these  laws  are  still  to  be  learnt,  and  must  be  learnt,  sooner 
or  later,  by  all  the  offspring  of  Adam,  at  the  last  and  grand 
assize. 

When  the  matter  came  into  court  his  counsellor   began 

& 

to  open  his  mouth,  and  to  go  en  with  the  business,  till  the 
venerable  judge  stopped  him,  telling  him  he  need  not  pro- 
ceed, for  he  had  no  foundation  to  go  upon,  and  showed  his 
reason  for  it;  and  added;  "You  must  nonsuit  him."  Here 


190  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 

it  ended  for  the  present ;  but  soon  after  I  heard  that  he  had 
obtained  a  something,  but  I  know  not  what,  from  the  twelve 
judges.  It  was  to  try  this  matter  over  again,  and  to  collect 
more  forces  for  the  trial.  All  this  time  I  kept  my  eye  upon 
my  dream.  I  saw  the  creatures,  and  their  mouths  open; 
and  I  know  that  the  scriptures  say  of  the  king  of  Babylon, 
Shall  they  not  rise  up  suddenly  that  shall  bite  thee,  and 
awake  that  shall  vex  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  for  booties  unto 
them  1  Hab.  ii.  7.  And  this  is  what  I  wanted  to  know, 
whether  God  would  suffer  these  to  bite  as  well  as  vex,  and 
at  last  to  make  a  booty  of  me*.  In  my  dream  they  did  not. 

After  a  time  this  trial  came  on  again,  and  then  a  young 
man  stepped  forth,  and  swore  and  said,  that  the  two  apprai- 
sers could  not,  and  did  not,  settle  the  matter,  but  it  was  left 
to  be  settled  between  me  and  my  antagonist.  This  was 
another  of  the  crooked  ones.  At  which  time  the  counsel 
for  me  gave  the  young  man  the  inventory,  and  asked  him 
who  wrote  that  on  the  back  of  it?  He  replied,  after  some 
time,  that  he  himself  did.  And  the  words  were,  "  This  is 
to  certify,  that  no  one  thing  crossed  out  in  this  inventory  is 
to  be  paid  for."  Signed  by  himself.  The  venerable  lord 
cried  out,  "  Villany  indeed!"  Here  it  ended,  with  all 
cost  and  suit  on  his  shoulders  who  wore  the  two  heads. 
And  I  was  informed  that  it  cost  the  crooked  one  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy  pounds.  And  all  this  time  I  was  not  once 
bitten.  God  speaks  once,  yea  twice,  in  dreams,  in  visions, 
by  his  judgments,  by  his  providence,  by  his  Son,  by  his 
Spirit,  and  sometimes  by  his  servants ;  but,  let  him  speak 
however  he  may,  I  set  to  rny  seal  that  God  is  true. 

Having  given  my  dearly  beloved  an  account  how  the 
wonderful  Counsellor  brought  his  poor  client  through  all 
the  wisdom  and  hissing  of  this  venomous  brood,  I  must 
conclude  this  long  scrawl,  only  adding,  that  yours  came 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  191 

safe  to  hand.  Am  sorry  to  hear  of  the  late  eclipse ;  but 
he  did  so  in  the  eastern  countries  as  well  as  in  ours,  and  in 
the  days  of  old  as  well  as  now ;  and  so  you  read,  He  hold- 
eth  back  the  face  of  Ids  throne,  and  sprcadeth  Ids  cloud  upon 
it.  Job.  xxyi.  9.  But,  when  the  sun  breaks  out  again 
thou  wilt  shine  brighter,  and  see  better  than  ever.  The 
path  of  the  just  shines  more  and  more  to  perfect  day.  Seek 
him,  with  all  thy  soul,  in  the  broad  ways  and  in  the  narrow 
paths,  as  the  spouse  did.  He  would  often  withdraw  himself 
when  upon  earth,  and  sometimes  stay  behind,  and  send  the 
disciples  off  in  a  boat  alone ;  sometimes  he  went  into  a 
mountain  by  himself,  and  sometimes  in  a  house,  and  would 
have  no  man  know  it :  but  the  scriptures  say,  He  could  not 
be  hid;  for  God  the  Father  is  determined  to  reveal  him,  let 
him  go  wherever  he  will.  After  him,  follow  him,  call, 
knock,  beg,  importune,  never  give  it  up ;  for,  as  God  liveth, 
this  is  he  whom  Moses  and  the  prophets  did  write  of. 
Heaven  itself  is  in  him ;  therefore  find  him  again,  and  pur- 
sue him  till  you  do,  if  you  die  in  the  pursuit.  God  the 
Father,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghott,  all  the  angels  in  heaven, 
and  all  the  saints  upon  earth,  are  on  your  side  while  you 
are  seeking  him ;  and,  as  for  me,  my  dearly  beloved,  the 
language  of  my  heart  and  soul,  and  every  prayer  of  mine, 
is  and  shall  be, 

Good  success  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER   IX. 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dearly  beloved  of  God  : 

MY  last  epistle  was  pregnant  with  the  disagreeable  en- 
tanglements of  the  litigious,  and  of  the  windings  and  turn- 
ings of  a  crooked  generation  ;  but,  by  the  goodness  of  my 
God,  I  escaped  with  both  my  coat  and  my  cloak. 

I  must  now  prepare  my  stuff  for  removing.  For  some 
few  years  before  I  was  married  all  my  personal  effects  used 
to  be  carried  in  my  hand,  or  on  my  shoulders,  in  one  or  two 
large  handkerchiefs  ;  but,  after  marriage,  for  some  few 
years,  I  used  to  carry  all  the  goods  that  we  had  gotten  on 
my  shoulders  in  a  large  sack.  But,  when  we  moved  from 
Thames  Ditton  to  London,  we  loaded  two  large  carts  with 
furniture  and  other  necessaries,  besides  a  post-chaise  well 
filled  with  children.  But  at  this  time  God  had  given  me 
such  treasure  in  my  sack,  that  it  was  increased  to  a  multi- 
tude :  we  were  almost  a  fortnight  in  getting  away  the  stuff. 
The  many  things  on  the  premises  which  I  had  to  purchase, 
and  the  expenses  that  would  attend  my  moving,  together 
with  rent  for  both  houses  for  some  time  to  come,  had  pre- 
viously exercised  my  mind  not  a  little.  And  you  know  that 
I  have  always  kept  Claremarket,  but  never  did  any  business 
at  the  Stocks-market  in  my  life-;  so  that  I  could  not  look 
there  for  any  supply.  But  I  looked  to  the  market  in  Hon- 
ey lane ;  for  his  word  has  often  been  sweeter  to  me  than 
honey  or  the  honeycomb,  for  it  contains  the  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come  ;  and  here 
I  never  sought,  I  never  looked,  I  never  prayed  in  vain.  God 
raised  up  a  most  invaluable  friend,  who  richly  supplied  me, 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  193 

and  has  long  ministered  to  my  necessities.  But  the  trouble 
of  moving  drove  me  quite  out  of  my  element ;  it  interrupted 
my  peace,  scattered  my  thoughts,  and  prevented  all  medita- 
tion. The  door  of  hope  seemed  tofce  off  the  hooks,  and 
the  best  members  of  the  new  man  out  of  joint.  I  appeared 
quite  unfurnished  for  the  pulpit,  and  my  mind  too  unsettled 
for  any  one  branch  of  my  delightful  labor.  No  man  that 
warretJi  entangleth  himself  with  the  affairs  of  this  life,  says 
Paul ;  and  sad  entanglements  are  all  wordly  concerns  to  a 
spiritual  soldier.  But  if  this  world,  and  the  domestic  con- 
cerns of  it,  are  a  burden,  and  not  a  pleasure  ;  a  vanity,  and 
not  a  substance ;  a  vexation,  and  not  a  delight ;  a  rival,  and 
not  a  real  lover ;  we  must  of  course  be  crucified  to  it,  and 
alive  to  him  that  was  crucified  in  it. 

Being  in  some  measure  settled  in  my  new  habitation,  I 
watched,  and  sought,  and  felt,  after  that  Friend  that  loveth 
at  all  times  ;  and,  blessed  be  his  revered  name,  I  found  him. 
If  I  had  failed  in  this  I  had  been  undone ;  for  he  is  our 
dwelling-place  in  all  generations  ;  and  sensible  sinners  have 
no  sure  dwelling  nor  quiet  resting-place  but  this.  But  now 
many  cares  came  on  me.  I  was  five  miles  from  my  chapel, 
and  a  cold  winter  was  coming  on ;  and  how  to  get  my  fam- 
ily so  far  to  the  house  of  God  was  my  chief  concern.  A 
person  of  Streatham,  in  Surrey,  had  made  me  a  present  of  a 
little  sorrel  horse,  which  is  a  most  excellent  creature,  and 
would  carry  me  very  well  ;  but  how  to  get  a  large  family 
there  was  the  difficulty.  A  man  and  his  wife,  whom  I  have 
been  for  some  years  acquainted  with  at  Streatham,  and  who 
had  managed  a  farm  for  a  gentleman  there  had  been  for 
some  time  before  this  out  of  employ,  through  the  gentle- 
man's letting  his  farm.  I  had  spoken  to  two  friends  in  Lon- 
don about  joining  with  me  in  taking  a  farm,  and  putting 
him  into  it  to  manage  it  for  us,  for  the  sake  of  a  dairy,  &,c., 
25 


194  .      THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

to  supply  our  three  families  ;  but  we  could  not  hear  of  any 
such  thing  near  town  that  would  do  for  that  purpose.     The 
man  and  his  wife  therefore  took  a  coal  shed,  and  dealt  in 
green  grocery,  &>c.  <S£c.     But  I  found,  by  inquiry,  that  their 
business  was  not  likely  to  answer,  and  therefore  I  sent  for 
the  man  to  come  to  me ;    and  he  and  his  wife  agreed  to 
come,  she  to  attend  to  my  baking  and  dairy,  and  he  to  the 
business  of  the  land.     And  here  God  granted  me  my  request 
in  a  way  that  I  did  not  expect ;  for  being  long  acquainted 
with  them,  and  they  being  fond  of  my  ministry,  I  did  not 
like  to  see  them  scattered  from  it.     I  had  got  one  old  cart- 
horse that  I  had  bought  with  the  rest  of  the  stock  on  the 
farm,  and  I  wanted  two  more,  but  money  run  short ;  and  I 
determined  also  to  have  a  large  tilted  cart  to  take  my  fami- 
ly to  chapel,  and  the  man  should  drive  it  on  the  Sunday, 
and  on  lecture  nights,  and  I  would  ride  my  little  horse. 
This  was  the  most  eligible  plan  that  I  could  adopt ;  and  on 
this  I  determined,  as  soon  as  God  should  send  money  to  pro- 
cure them.     I  came  to  this  conclusion  on  a  Friday,  and  on 
the  next  day,  toward  evening,  came  two  or  three  friends  from 
town  to  see  me.     I  wondered  not  a  little  at  their  coming, 
as  they  knew  that  on  a  Saturday  I  never  like  to  see  any 
body  ;    and  therefore  I  conceived  that  they  must  be  come 
with  some  heavy  tidings ;  some  friend  was  dead,  or  some- 
thing bad  had  happened.     But  they  came  to  inform  me  that 
some  friends  had  agreed  among  themselves  and  bought  me 
a  coach  and  a  pair  of  horses,  which  they  intended  to  make 
me  a  present  of.     I  informed  them  that  the  assessed  taxes 
ran  so  high  that  I  should  not  be  able  to  keep  it.     But  they 
stopped  my  mouth  by  informing  me,  that  the  money  for 
paying  the  taxes  for  the  coach  and  horses  was  subscribed 
also  :    so  that  nothing  lay  upon  me  but  the  keep  of  the 
horses.     Thus,  instead  of  being  at  the  expense  of  a  tilted 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  195 

cart,  God  sent  me  a  coach  without  cost,  and  two  horses 
without  my  purchasing  them  ;  and  which,  with  my  other  old 
horse,  would  do  the  work  of  the  farm,  as  well  as  the  work 
of  the  coach ;  and  my  bailiff  informed  me  that  he  could 
drive  it,  having  formerly  drove  one.  Thus  was  I  set  up. 
But  at  this  time  the  pocket  was  bare,  and  many  things  were 
wanting,  both  in  the  house  and  on  the  farm,  and  a  place  to 
fit  up  for  my  bailiff  and  dairy  woman  to  live  in.  And  it 
was  but  a  few  days  afterward  before  a  gentleman  out  of  the 
country  called  upon  me ;  and,  being  up  in  my  study  with 
me,  he  said,  "  My  friend,  I  often  told  you  that  you  would 
keep  your  coach  before  you  died,  and  I  always  promised 
that  whenever  you  had  a  coach  I  would  give  you  a  pair  of 
horses,  and  I  will  not  be  worse  than  my  word.  I  have  in- 
quired of  father  Green,  and  he  tells  me  that  the  horses  cost 
forty-five  pounds ;  and  there  is  the  money."  In  a  day  or 
two  after  the  coach,  horses,  and  harness,  came.  And,  hav- 
ing now  a  little  money,  I  wrote  to  a  friend  in  the  country  to 
send  me  twelve  ewes,  and  a  male  with  them  ;  and  they  sent 
me  twelve  excellent  ones,  and  the  male  with  them,  but 
would  not  be  paid  for  them ;  they  were  a  present  to  the 
farm.  Whoso  is  wise,  and  will  observe  these  things,  even 
they  shall  understand  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord. 
Psalm  cvii.  43. 

When  rny  coach  came  home,  and  my  family  had  been 
once  or  twice  to  chapel  in  it,  and  the  report  of  it  was  gone 
abroad,  it  was  truly  laughable  to  see  the  sorrow,  the  hard 
labor,  and  sore  travail  that  fell  upon  some  poor  souls  on  the 
account  of  it.  Their  envy  almost  slew  the  silly  ones.  One 
person  came  into  my  yard,  and  asked  the  coachman  about 
this  matter,  and  what  all  these  things  meant ;  but  he  being 
a  stranger  who  came  with  the  coach,  and  only  drove  us  two 
or  three  times,  could  not  inform  him.  Others,  and  some 


196 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 


very  well-dressed  gentlemen,  whom  I  knew  nothing  of,  and 
whom  I  never  saw  before,  came,  and  walked  at  different 
times  to  and  fro  at  the  front  of  the  house,  by  the  hour  to- 
gether, looking  up,  and  then  down,  to  consider  the  matter, 
and  to  find  out  what  it  all  proceeded  from,  which  is  a  mys- 
tery they  can  never  get  at ;  and  the  mystery  of  God's  provi- 
dential dealings  is  what  I  never  shall  be  able  to  describe: 
I  can  only  look  on  and  wonder  at  God,  while  others  wonder 
at  me,  and  say  with  the  Psalmist,  I  am  a  wonder  unto  many  ; 
but  thou  art  my  strong  refuge.  Psalm  Ixxi.  7. 

We  have  had  some  of  these  envious  ones  stand  in  convo- 
cation in  the  by-road  which  leads  to  Hendon,  and  hold  a 
council,  and  debate  upon  the  matter  for  hours  together,  what 
the  rent  is,  what  the  taxes,  the  number  of -the  family,  the 
keep  of  the  horses  and  servants,  the  taxes  of  the  house, 
coach,  &,c.,  and  what  must  unavoidably  be  the  amount  of 
the  whole,  yearly,  while  Mr.  Williams  stood  on  the  other 
side  of  the  wall  and  heard  the  debates,  and  the  conclusion. 
And  here  they  took  more  pains  than  ever  I  did  ;  for  I  never 
once  cast  up  either  the  income  or  outgoings  till  the  income  tax 
was  made ;  only  I  observed  this,  that  the  income  seldom 
trod  upon  the  heels  of  the  outgoings ;  there  was  generally 
a  little  space  between  them,  and  in  that  gap  I  erected  my 
watch-tower,  and  in  which  ward  I  have  sometimes  been 
whole  nights,  when  other  folks  have  been  in  bed  and  asleep. 
At  the  chapel  door  also  we  were  not  a  little  troubled  with 
this  sort  of  well-wishers,  sometimes  twenty  or  more,  about 
the  coal-heaver's  state  coach,  to  examine  matters,  and  to 
look  into  things.  And  this  continued,  more  or  less,  for  near 
two  years.  Indeed,  it  is  but  lately  that  this  wonder  of  won- 
ders has  begun  to  cease.  And  yet  my  friends,  who  execut- 
ed all  this  business  for  me,  took  care  to  give  them  all  the 
information  that  malice  itself  could  expect ;  for  the  initials 


TOE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  197 

of  my  name,  W.  H.,  together  with  the  initials  of  my  state, 
S.  S.,  were  put  upon  every  panel  of  the  coach,  upon  the 
pads  of  the  harness,  and  upon  the  very  blindfolds  of  the  bri- 
dles. And  all  this  was  done  to  satisfy  those,  who  were  the 
principal  mourners  on  this  occasion,  that  the  thing  was  real, 
and  not  counterfeit ;  that  it  was  not  a  hackney  carriage, 
nor  a  glass  coach  ;  not  borrowed,  nor  hired,  nor  a  job  ;  but 
the  despised  Doctor's  own  carriage,  which  the  King  of  kings 
had  sent  him  without  asking  for,  and,  at  that  time,  without 
any  expectation  of  any  such  thing.  And  here  I  have  often 
thought  of  the  words  of  the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel.  When  he, 
and  the  four  hundred  troops  that  were  with  him,  all  of  whom 
were  in  desperate  circumstances,  such  as  were  in  distress, 
those  that  were  discontented,  and  such  as  were  in  debt, 
these  only  joining  him,  (1  Sam.  xxii.  2,)  and  while  he  and 
this  handful  of  men  wandered  in  the  wilderness,  and  in  the 
woods,  in  caves,  in  rocks,  and  in  strong  holes,  like  Robin 
Hood  and  Little  John  in  the  forest  of  Sherwood,  Nabal's 
shepherds,  as  appears  by  his  famous  speech  to  Abigail,  all 
who  knew  them,  and  all  laboring  and  husbandmen  about 
these  wild  places  were  conversant  with  them,  and  not  a  few 
of  the  heathen,  as  the  Philistines  also  ;  but,  when  the  report 
was  spread  that  this  wood-ranger  was  crowned  king  in  He- 
bron, and  his  desperate  followers  were  the  life-guards  of  his 
royal  person  in  tfrat  city  of  Israel,  then  they  gathered  them- 
selves together,  and  went  in  troops  to  see  the  sight ;  and 
when  they  saw  the  crown-royal  and  the  purple  robe  upon 
the  son  of  Jesse,  they  assembled  in  different  assemblies,  and 
compassed  him  about ;  yea,  the  objects  gathered  themselves 
together ;  they  walked  round  about  the  walls  of  his  palace, 
and  fretted  at  his  exaltation.  And  he  seems  to  take  notice 
of  it^  and  says,  They  make  a  noise  like  a  dog,  and  go  round 
about  the  city.  And,  as  it  seemed  to  amuse  them,  David 
26 


198 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 


desired  that  they  might  be  permitted  to  continue  at  it ;  and 
therefore  adds,  And  at  evening  let  them  return ;  and  let 
them  make  a  noise  like  a  dog,  and  go  round  about  the  city. 
Let  them  wander  up  and  down  for  meat,  and  grudge  if  they 
be  not  satisfied.  Psalm  lix.  6,  14,  15. 

And  here  I  must  mention  one  or  two  particulars  which 
have  often  been  a  wonder  to  me.  And  one  is,  when  I  came 
first  to  reside  in  London  I  brought  my  poor  old  gray  horse 
to  town  with  me,  arid  being  not  able  to  keep  him,  a  friend 
of  mine  and  a  dear  son  in  the  faith,  who  kept  a  livery  sta- 
ble, took  him  till  he  could  be  sold ;  and,  during  this  time, 
a  gentleman  asked  me  to  take  a  ride  with  him  a  little  way 
in  the  country,  and  we  went  up  Edgware  road,  a  road  I  had 
never  been  before,  and  turned  up  toward  Hampstead ;  and 
I  particularly  observed  one  house  in  the  way,  with  the 
garden,  walls,  and  the  summer-house,  and  a  few  fir  trees 
which  were  about  it.  And,  being  in  the  summer,  I  observ- 
ed to  the  gentleman  that  was  with  me  what  a  retired,  rural 
spot  it  was ;  and  it  seemed  to  take  my  fancy,  and  to  catch 
my  eye,  more  than  any  other  that  we  observed ;  and  that 
very  house  is  now  my  residence. 

The  next  particular  is  this.  About  four  years  ago  I  was 
invited  to  preach  at  Woolwich  ;  and  I  engaged  a  few  friends 
to  go  with  me,  and  begged  of  father  Green  to  get  some  sta- 
ble keeper  to  furnish  us  a  rich  coach  and  horses  for  the 
day.  He  replied  that  he  knew  a  man  of  the  name  of  Nibbs 
who  kept  coaches,  and  who  generally  drove  himself,  and 
who  was  a  very  civil  man,  and  had  a  large  family  ;  and  I  re- 
member we  loaded  the  coach  very  heavily  ;  and,  when  we 
came  to  Woolwich,  I  ordered  the  good  man  who  owned  the 
horses  to  feed  them  to  the  full,  and  it  should  be  at  my  ex- 
pense. Toward  the  evening  it  thundered,  lightened  and 
rained,  at  a  most  violent  rate,  and  the  road  was  very  wet 
and  slippery,  and  being  above  the  common  number  for  a 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  199 

coach  to  take,  I  had  a  good  deal  of  feeling  for  the  poor  cat- 
tle ;  and,  before  I  got  in,  I  went  and  Booked  at  the  horses, 
to  see  their  size  and  weight,*and  what  state  they  were  in, 
whether  poor  or  in  working  order;  whether  decrepit  or 
sound ;  and  whether  they  looked  full  or  empty ;  and  I  much 
admired  the  team.  They  were  both  grays  ;  and  the  shape 
or  mould  of  one  of  them  much  took  my  eye ;  he  was  a  dap- 
ple gray,  very  spotted,  and  of  the  tabby  cast.  And,  the 
team  much  pleasing  me,  I  desired  the  master  of  them  to 
drive  slow,  and  not  to  hurt  his  cattle,  and,  as  we  were  a 
heavy  load,  we  would  reward  him,  which  we  did  to  his  sat- 
isfaction. And  that  horse  which  so  forcibly  struck  my  eye 
is  one  of  the  pair  which  my  friends  bought  for  me,  and  is 
now  in  my  team.  Some  gentleman  in  town  having  often 
seen  him  in  my  cart,  and  afterwards  in  the  coach,  took  a 
fancy  to  him,  and  made  many  inquiries  whose  he  was,  and 
at  last  inquired  of  the  hackneyman  where  he  came  from,  who 
informed  him,  and  who,  by  the  gentleman's  desire,  came  to 
purchase  him  ;  and  others  also  have  bid  for  him  ;  but  he  is 
still  with  me.  God's  gifts  are  not  to  be  parted  with  but  in 
case  of  necessity.  Thus  the  man  that  I  wished  to  put  on  a 
farm  now  drives  me,  the  house  I  then  saw,  which  so  much 
took  my  fancy,  is  my  residence ;  and  the  horse  I  took  such 
notice  of  is  now  in  my  team.  Beloved,  farewell.  May  the 
goodness  of  God  daily  pass  before  thee  as  he  has  promised, 
and  his  grace  rule  and  reign  in  thee  ;  and  may  he  con- 
tinue to  bestow  upon  thee  an  eye  to  watch  his  hand,  and  a 
heart  to  feel  his  power :  and  then  faith  and  hope  will  be 
both  encouraged.  In  the  confidence  of  which  I  subscribe 
myself,  dear  friend, 

Ever  thine  in  the  Lord, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER    X. 

*•  \ 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dearly  beloved  of  God . 

IF  thou  art  not  weary  of  my  reciting  the  few  details  which 
a  treacherous  memory  may  refund,  I  shall  yet  add  affliction 
to  your  bonds,  or  burden  your  mind  and  memory  with  a  few 
more  of  the  kind  interferences  of  Divine  Providence,  which, 
to  such  an  one  as  Nabal  the  Carmelite,  would  appear  a  mere 
tale  of  a  tub,  and  serve  only  for  ridicule,  sport  and  laughter ; 
but  to  such  an  one  as  the  poor  widow  of  Sidon,  who  was 
gathering  two  sticks  to  bake  a  cake  of  the  last  handful  of 
meal,  that  she  and  her  son  might  have  one  morsel  more  be- 
fore they  died :  to  such  souls,  in  such  circumstances,  how 
sweet  are  the  tidings  of  the  unerring,  uncontrollable,  all- 
sufficient,  and  over-ruling  providence  of  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel !  Fetch  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  little  water  in  a  vessel, 
that  I  may  drink ;  and  off  she  goes ;  but  he  stops  her : 
Bring  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  morsel  of  bread  in  thine  hand. 
And  she  said,  As  the  Lord  thy  God  liveth,  I  have  not  a 
cake,  but  an  handful  of  meal  in  a  barrel,  and  a  little  oil  in 
a  cruse ;  and  behold,  I  am  gathering  two  sticks,  that  I  may 
go  in  and  dress  it  for  me  and  my  son,  that  we  may  eat  it 
and  die.  But  the  prophet  said  unto  her,  Fear  not ;  go  and 
do  as  thou  hast  said;  but  make  me  thereof  a  little  cakejirst, 
and  bring  it  unto  me,  and  after  that  make  for  thee  and  for 
thy  son.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  The 
barrel  of  meal  shall  not  waste,  neither  shall  the  cruse  of  oil 
fai^  until  the  day  that  the  Lord  sendeth  rain  upon  the 
earth.  And  she,  and  the  prophet,  and  her  whole  house, 
lived  upon  that  spring  for  a  whole  year.  1  Kings,  chap. 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  201 

xvii.  Faith  went  to  the  poor  woman's  heart  with  the  Lord's 
promise,  and  she  believed  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  his  pro- 
phet, and  ventured  to  make  him  the  first  cake,  before  she 
cooked  for  herself  or  her  son.  And  I  have  no  doubt  but 
this  poor  enthusiastical  woman  was  well  supplied  only  by 
her  faith  in  the  providence  of  God,  while  many  thousands, 
that  would  have  laughed  at  her  folly,  perished  for  want  while 
they  trusted  in  their  own  wisdom.  And  so  it  will  be  in  the 
day  of  judgment ;  God  will  take  the  wise  in  their  own 
craftiness,  and,  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  save  all 
that  believe  in  Jesus.  This  is  his  own  promise;  and  he  will 
fulfil  it. 

But  to  return.  The  bills  for  hay-rnaking,  making  some 
alterations,  and  fitting  up  fire-grates,  &/c.,  had  once  more 
brought  the  gout  into  my  pocket,  which  is  what  I  call  one 
of  my  often  infirmities ;  and  at  this  juncture  a  friend  called 
on  me,  and  gave  me  fifty  pounds ;  and  a  few  days  after 
another  gentleman  gave  me  fifty  pounds  more ;  and,  as  a 
cow  or  two  were  wanting,  these  were  now  procured ;  and 
other  demands  upon  me  were  answered. 

A  gentleman  in  the  country  brought  me  a  goose  and  a 
gander  ;  and  another  in  the  city  sent  me  some  Guinea  fowls , 
a  lady  from  Richmond  brought  me  some  turkeys  ;  and  some 
friends  from  Welwyri,  in  Hertfordshire,  brought  me  two 
hives  of  bees,  and  some  white  barn-fowls;  at  which  time  a 
gentleman  in  the  country  sent  me  ten  ewes,  and  a  gentle- 
man in  town  sent  me  six  ewe  lambs.  The  blessing  of  the 
Lord  maketh  rich,  and  he  addeth  no  sorrow  with  it. 

At  this  time  I  wanted  to  part  with  my  old  cart-horse,  he 
being  in  color  a  brown  muzzle,  but  the  coach-horses  were 
dapple  grays ;  and  thinking  these  worked  rather  too  hard,  I 
wished  for  one  to  match  them,  that  we  might  occasionally 
change  them,  that  so  one  or  other  of  them  might  alter- 


202  THE     BANK     OP     FAITH. 

nately  rest.  I  therefore  sent  my  foreman,  my  steward,  my 
bailiff,  my  butcher,  and  my  coachman,  (for  he  is  Jack  of  all 
these  trades,)  to  a  gentleman  farmer  who  dealt  in  horses, 
and  who  often  keeps  a  fancy  team  of  spotted  ones,  only  for 
the  sake  of  serving  any  gentleman  who  may  take  a  fancy  to 
any  of  them.  He  took  one  of  our  horses  over  with  him  for 
the  farmer  to  see,  who  informed  him  that  his  fancy  team 
was  sold  off,  but  that  he  expected  forty  horses  in  a  few  days 
from  the  north  country,  and  if  any  one  of  them  would 
match  that  which  he  brought,  he  would  let  him  know  by 
sending  a  line.  About  a  fortnight  after  this,  on  a  Saturday 
night,  my  foreman  dreamed  that  he  was  looking  at  a  gray 
horse,  which  he  much  admired,  but  found  some  fault  with 
the  shape  of  his  neck.  He  awoke,  and  it  was  a  dream. 
But,  upon  falling  to  sleep  the  second  time,  he  dreamed  the 
same  dream  again ;  but  still,  as  before,  was  displeased  with 
the  creature's  neck.  He  awaked  up,  and  spoke  of  the 
dream;  and  the  same  day,  at  the  chapel,  a  letter  came  from 
the  gentleman  applied  to,  which  he  had  sent  by  the  hand  of 
a  friend,  informing  him  that  he  had  got  a  horse  which  he 
thought  would  suit  me.  I  sent  him  over,  he  saw  him,  and 
he  was  the  same  horse  he  saw  in  his  dream,  and  his  neck 
the  worst  part  about  him;  but  he  approved  of  him,  and 
came  and  told  me  that  the  gentleman  would  bring  him  into 
the  Borough  any  day  that  I  would  appoint,  that  I  might  see 
him :  the  price  was  thirty-two  guineas.  But  the  dream  was 
quite  enough  for  me ;  I  made  up  the  money,  and  sent  for 
the  horse.  He  was  very  young,  but  the  most  docile  crea- 
ture I  ever  saw.  And  soon  after  this  the  gentleman  who 
gave  me  the  money  for  the  pair  of  horses  before  mentioned, 
saw  a  horse  in  the  country  that  he  thought  would  match 
mine,  and  gave  thirty-two  guineas  for  him,  and  brought  him 
up  to  me  as  a  present,  and  took  my  old  brown-muzzled 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  203 

horse  away  from  me.  I  then  turned  my  little  mare,  which 
was  getting  old,  off  to  breeding,  and  she  is  now  the  dam  of 
a  most  beautiful  colt.  A  friend  of  mine  in  the  country 
took  her,  and  still  keeps  her.  And  my  four  horses,  being 
all  of  a  color,  they  do  to  work  in  the  cart,  in  the  coach,  or 
in  the  saddle  ;  and,  upon  certain  occasions,  to  make'up  two 
good  cart  teams. 

About  this  time  my  old  tabernacle  got  into  a  very  low 
condition,  which  continued  for  many  months,  and  which 
cost  me  no  small  sum  for  doctoring.  However,  this  was  of 
great  use  to  me,  for  I  had  too  much  delighted  myself  in  the 
living  creatures  with  which  I  was  surrounded  on  every  side. 
Solomon,  when  he  had  finished  all  his  works,  went  about  to 
cause  his  heart  to  despair  of  all  that  he  had  taken  in  hand 
to  do.  And  my  poor  lingering  state  attracted  my  thoughts 
and  affections  to  solace  themselves  in  the  better  part,  and 
in  the  more  enduring  substance.  And  although  I  often 
viewed  my  base  original,  and  my  former  poor,  beggarly  life ; 
(beggarly  life  I  call  it,  for  having  been  once  sick  in  the 
lower  part  of  Essex,  upon  my  recovery  I  begged  my  way  all 
through  that  county  to  London,)  therefore  I  had  a  large 
field  for  my  mind  to  reflect  and  meditate  on,  and  no  one 
thing  about  me  but  a  body  of  sin,  but  what  a  gracious  God 
and  father  in  Christ  had  given  me.  I  often  looked  back, 
with  many  tears,  at  the  undeserved  and  unexpected  mercy 
of  my  God,  and  with  the  joys  of  a  good  hope,  through 
grace,  that  I  should  one  day  see  him  whom  my  soul  loves. 
And  with  much  delight  did  my  soul  exult  in  my  bountiful 
benefactor ;  and  not  without  a  lasting  sense  of  his  unde- 
served love  to  me,  from  which  alone  all  real  gratitude  of 
heart  flows ;  for  all  which  I  am  deeply  indebted  to  his  free 
and  super-abounding  grace.  This  frame  of  mind,  and  my 
bodily  infirmities,  kept  my  temporal  prosperity  in  its  proper 


204 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 


place,  as  a  nice  handmaid,  under  God,  to  assist  my  faith, 
but  not  to  become  a  snare ;  and  it  likewise  kept  my  mind 
heavenly,  and  rather  assisted  me  for  the  pulpit  than  other- 
wise; for  the  more  we  see  his  goodness  the  more  boldly  we 
proclaim  it.  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaketh. 

At  this  time  I  wanted  to  enclose  a  bit  of  waste  ground, 
to  lay  it  into  my  garden,  to  make  it  more  retired ;  and  two 
gentlemen,  timber  merchants  in  Aldersgate  street,  sent  me 
up  all  the  timber  and  boards  that  I  wanted,  and  have  found 
me  in  all  the  timber  that  has  been  required  for  repairs  or 
alterations  ever  since,  without  either  bills  or  demands.  But 
God  blessed  the  work  of  their  hands  abundantly. 

When  I  had  completed  this  job,  a  gentleman,  who  is  a 
seedsman  in  Fleet  street,  came  to  see  my  premises,  and 
found  much  fault  in  my  having  so  little  fruit,  and  so  few 
fruit  trees,  and  pressed  me  to  give  him  an  order.  I  men- 
tioned a  few  different  sorts,  but  he  went  on  till  there  was  no 
end;  and  wrote  a  letter  to  a  noted  nurseryman,  ordering 
the  different  kinds,  and  told  him  they  must  be  of  the  prime 
sorts,  as  they  were  for  a  person  who  was  a  judge  of  trees  and 
of  fruit ;  and  that  they  were  to  be  directed,  "  For  the  Doc- 
tor ;  to  be  left  with  Mr.  Baker,  No.  226,  Oxford  street." 
Accordingly  they  were  drawn  and  sent ;  and  the  nursery- 
man wrote  a  letter  to  my  friend,  informing  him  that  he  had 
executed  his  orders  ;  and,  let  the  Doctor  be  as  good  a  judge 
as  he  might,  he  would  be  bold  to  affirm,  that  his  trees  would 
bear  fruit  that  should  exceed  in  flavor  all  the  pills  that  ever 
that  Doctor  had  made  up.  But  my  friend  denied  it,  and 
thought  that  he  had  gathered  better  fruit  from  the  Doctor's 
ministry  than  the  Doctor  would  ever  gather  from  his  trees ; 
and  which  I  believe  to  be  true.  The  order  sent  was  three 
hundred  gooseberry  and  currant  plants,  various  sorts  of 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  205 

raspberries  and  strawberries,  with  fourscore  capital  standard 
trees;  all  of  which  were  immediately  planted,  and  are  now 
in  a  very  flourishing  state;  nor  do  I  believe  that  above  two 
or  three  of  them  died.  This  gentleman  has  supplied  me 
with  seeds  and  plants  ever  since  I  have  had  a  garden  ;  and 
always  solicits  my  custom,  and  inquires  after  my  orders, 
though  he  has  never  received  one  farthing  for  them;  nor 
does  he  ever  intend  it. 

About  this  time  a  fine  cow  was  sent  me,  but  I  do  not 
know  from  whom  she  came.  A  gentleman  in  the  Borough 
sent  me  an  excellent  cloth  to  cover  a  load  of  hay  (in  wet 
weather)  going  to  market.  Another  gentleman  sent  me  a 
cloth  to  cover  a  rick  of  hay  while  it  is  in  building,  with  ropes 
and  pulleys  all  complete.  The  wise  man's  proverb  says, 
A  faithful  man  shall  abound  with  blessings;  the  latter  is 
true  in  me,  but  I  will  not  claim  the  former;  for  I  am  by  no 
means  full  of  faith,  but  often  shut  up,  and  sadly  foiled  with 
unbelief.  I  speak  this  to  my  own  shame,  not  in  mock  mod- 
esty, nor  in  feigned  humility,  for  God  knows  it  is  truth. 

It  now  fell  out  that  I  was  earnestly  invited  to  go  a  jour- 
ney into  the  North  to  preach ;  but,  having  the  gout  in  my 
pocket,  I  was  obliged  to  postpone  it  till  I  was  loosed  from 
this  infirmity ;  and  when  the  cure  came  the  cold  winterly 
weather  was  come  on.  However,  I  sent  to  my  friends  of 
whom  I  had  my  coach,  and  begged  the  loan  of  a  chariot. 
These  friends  supply  me  gratis  with  a  chariot  or  chaise,  or 
any  light  carriage  that  I  may  want,  whenever  I  ask.  They 
sent  the  chariot,  and  off  I  went,  with  about  eleven  pounds  in 
my  pocket,  which  small  sum  I  knew  would  require  more 
frugality  than  I  am  master  of  to  go  so  long  a  journey. 
However,  I  set  off  in  style  with  this  small  capital ;  and, 
having  been  long  expected  by  some  of  the  Lord's  tried  ones, 
and  they  having  now  despaired  of  my  coming,  except  one 


206  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

or  two,  upon  whose  minds  it"  was  impressed  that  I  should 
come,  just  before  my  letter  of  information  reached  them ; 
which  delay  sharpened  their  appetites.  One  poor  soul  had 
her  work  sweetly  revived;  another  young  woman,  who  had 
been  long  in  chains,  came  forth  to  the  light,  and  showed 
herself;  and,  had  my  hand  been  as  open  as  their  hearts, 
they  had  sent  me  home  with  thirty  guineas  in  my  pocket ; 
but  I  returned  some  of  it  back  again,  knowing  it  is  more 
falessed  to  give  than  to  receive.  God  threw  my  heart  quite 
open  when  he  first  revealed  his  dear  Son  in  me ;  and  the 
transforming  views  that  I  have  at  times  been  favored  with 
since,  has  kept  it  open  to  this  day ;  so  that  I  keep  clear- 
market  all  the  year  round ;  as  it  comes  in,  so  it  goes  out  ; 
so  that  neither  my  heart  nor  my  pocket  are  standing  pools, 
but  springing  wells ;  and  not  a  few  mumping  professors  and 
lazy  hypocrites  have  made  an  easy  prey  of  me,  the  devil 
artfully  instructing  his  fraternity  to  fish  after  the  tender 
feelings  of  those  whose  hearts  have  been  made  soft  by  heav- 
enly discipline.  But  of  late  I  have  found  myself  better 
armed  against  these  drone-bees  than  formerly.  When  my 
bounty  goes  into  the  family  of  God  I  fret  not ;  but  it  hurts 
my  consequence  to  be  duped  by  the  devil  in  a  serpent,  or  a 
wolf  in  a  sheep's  skin.  Beloved,  farewell.  Excuse  the 
length  of  the  scrawl ;  matters  have  flowed  in  apace,  and  you 
see  how  my  pen  has  run  on.  If  my  continually  coming 
doth  not  weary  thee,  in  a  few  days  you  may  look  out  again ; 
till  then,  peace  and  truth  be  with  thee.  So  prays 

Yours  in  him,  W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER   XI. 

I 

TO    THE    SPARROW    ALONE. 

Dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord  : 

I  HAVE  been  early  this  morning  collecting  materials  to 
put  you  to  a  little  more  expense.  I  find  but  little  union 
with  those  whose  hands  have  gotten  much;  many  of  them 
being  never  in  their  element  except  they  are  boasting  of 
their  wealth ;  and  I  having  none  to  boast  of,  it  is  like  sing, 
ing  songs  to  a  heavy  heart.  Now,  that  you  and  I  may  go 
on  hand  and  glove  together,  I  am  going  to  put  you  to  the 
expense  of  another  double  letter.  I  concluded  my  last  with 
my  journey  to  the  North. 

Soon  after  my  return  from  this  journey  I  discharged 
some  small  debts ;  for  God  seldom  sends  rne  one  guinea  till 
that  guinea  is  owing,  or  wanted  immediately  some  other 
way.  He  has  strictly  preserved  this  uniform  and  unaltera- 
ble method  with  me,  now  near  upon  twenty-eight  years, 
without  ever  deviating  in  the  least  from  it;  for,  when  he 
cleared  the  debts  of  the  chapel,  there  were  several  small 
debts  for  other  things  left  unpaid ;  so  that  the  little  overplus 
was  soon  demanded.  And  the  general  method  of  his  pro- 
ceedings with  me  are,  that  when  his  hand  has  been  for 
sometime  closed  till  my  debts  are  greatly  increased,  then 
the  devil  is  let  loose  upon  me,  who  is  suffered  to  bring  them 
all  to  my  view,  one  after  another,  even  from  a  fifty  pound 
debt  down  to  a  shilling  one.  This  sets  me  to  looking  up 
and  praying  to  God ;  soon  after  which  my  creditors  and 
their  demands  are  banished  from  my  mind,  and  at  which 
time  faith  springs  up,  fully  persuading  me  that  the  raven, 


208  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

or  the  hand-basket,  is  on  the  road,  which  is  as  sure  to  come 
as  faith  is  to  proclaim  its  coming;  and  when  it  comes  it  is 
only  to  stop  a  few  gaps ;  to  rub  off  a  little,  but  not  to  set 
me  quite  clear ;  no,  never  once  fully,  since  I  have  been  the 
servant  of  the  King  of  kings.  Soon  after  my  chapel  debt 
was  cleared  I  began  to  sing  care  away.  But,  alas  !  I  hal- 
looed before  I  was  out  of  the  wood ;  for,  soon  after  that, 
being  obliged  to  remove  to  the  house  where  I  now  am,  I  was 
obliged  to  borrow  a  little  money  to  defray  my  way  into  the 
farm,  the  greater  part  of  which  remains  to  this  present,  but 
some  is  rubbed  off,  and  I  am  now  preparing  for  another 
rub.  The  devil  and  Dr.  Sack's  pride  have  often  interfered 
with  me  in  the  writing  of  this  narrative,  wishing  me  to 
conceal  some  part  of  these  things,  or  to  keep  back  part  of 
the  price  of  the  field,  that  the  Doctor's  enemies  may  not  be 
entertained,  nor  his  honor  eclipsed ;  but  I  am  determined 
to  go  on,  that  the  poor  souls  of  my  enemies  may  have  a 
morsel  to  feed  on,  and  those  of  God's  family  a  precedent, 
without  any  regard  to  the  suggestions  of  Satan,  or  to  the 
consequence  of  the  coal-heaver.  I  must  confess  that  no  one 
part  of  the  cross  that  ever  was  laid  upon  me,  has  so  com- 
pletely tried,  exercised,  crossed,  humbled,  or  mortified  me, 
as  that  of  being  perpetually  in  debt.  Under  this  I  have,  at 
times,  fretted,  groaned,  prayed  day  and  night,  cried,  pleaded, 
sued,  petitioned,  and  entreated  ;  and,  at  other  times,  fretted, 
murmured,  complained,  rebelled,  kicked  up,  hung  back, 
run  forward,  and  fell  down  in  the  furrow,  like  a  bullock 
unaccustomed  to  the  yoke ;  I  have  cursed  my  hard  fate, 
and  thousands  of  times  longed  for  death,  that  I  might  see 
an  end  of  it.  But  here  I  am  still ;  and,  as  no  one  cross 
that  was  ever  laid  upon  my  shoulders  since  I  have  known 
my  God  has  mortified  me  like  this,  so  no  other  cross  with 
which  I  have  been  exercised  has  ever  appeared  an  abscess, 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  209 

a  setfast,  or  immovable,  but  this ;  all  others  have  come  and 
gone,   but  this  was  never  removed  entirely  one  moment 
from  my  shoulders  since  I  could  first   say,  "The   Lord  is 
my  God."     Not  that  I  have   any  ground  of  fear  that  any 
one  person  living  will  ever  be  a  loser  of  any  thing  by  me ; 
for,  was  I  to  die  this  night,  I  believe  one  fifth  of  my  effects 
would  discharge  every  debt  that  I  owe  in  the  world  :  but, 
having  naturally  an  uncommon  aversion  to  being  in  debt,  it 
has  pleased  God,  for  near  twenty-eight  years,  to  keep   this 
grievous  and  immovable  yoke  upon  my  neck ;  and  the  devil, 
who  constantly  waits  upon  the  monuments  of  God's  mercy 
to  find  out,  by  hearing  their  confessions  and  prayers,  what 
it  is  that  galls  them  most,  and,  when  he  has  learnt  that,  is 
like  a  bloodhound   after  a  wounded  deer,  or  a  bumbailiff 
after  a  poor  debtor  :  he  pursues  as  long  as  either  life  or 
property  lasts.     Yet  I  know  that  this  is  good   for  me  ;  for, 
look  which  way  I  will,  I  cannot  see  one  soul  fat  and  flour- 
ishing in  grace  that  is  abounding  in   wealth,  but  quite  the 
reverse.     And  I  know  that,  unless  the  heart  be  well  estab- 
lished with  grace,  when  riches  increase,  the  heart  will  be 
set  upon  them;  and  then  they  have  either  done  with  God, 
or  God  has  done  with  them ;  or,  if  there  be  a  spark  left,  it 
is  often  sadly  covered  over  by  the  continual  cares  of  this 
life,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches.     Seeing  these  things 
so  clearly,  I  have  often  trembled  for  fear  that  this  lingering 
cross  should  be  entirely  removed,  knowing  that  the  least 
soul  exercise,  such  as  spiritual  sloth,  carnal   security,  cold- 
ness of  love,  life  hanging  in  doubt,  spiritual  desertion,  lean- 
ness of  soul,   barrenness  in  the  ministry,   deadness  in  the 
service  of  God,   legal  bondage,   &.C.,  is  ten  times  worse 
than  this  outward  trial ;  and  therefore  I  often  publish  the 
bands  of  marriage  between  my  shoulders  and  this  cross. 
But  unbelief  and  Satan  produce  so  many  causes  and  imped- 
27 


210  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

iments,  that  even  to  this  day  they  are  not  lawfully  joined 
together  in  holy  submission,  as  I  wish  they  could  be.  And 
yet  I  have  no  cause  to  complain,  for  no  creditor  ever  comes 
and  asks  me  for  one  shilling,  whether  professor  or  hypo- 
crite :  they  send  in  their  bills  and  hardly  ever  call  again  ; 
they  leave  them  till  I  send  or  call  to  pay  them.  Not  one 
creditor  ever  gave  me  a  miss  word  in  this  world;  all  applaud 
me  as  a  paymaster,  and  would  trust  me  to  any  amount ;  nor 
has  any  one  soul  ever  refused  me  since  God  first  called  me 
to  the  fellowship  of  the  gospel  till  now,  except  one  gentle- 
man, of  whom  I  asked  the  loan  of  fifty  pounds,  which  he 
said  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  lend ;  but,  since  that  time, 
he  borrowed  fifty  pounds  of  me,  which  it  was  never  in  his 
power  to  pay  me  again.  This  has  often  astonished  me,  and 
I  cannot  to  this  day  account  for  it;  but  so  it  is.  If  I  have 
gone  to  the  snuff-shop,  or  any  other  shop,  or  even  at  the 
discharging  of  a  hackney  coach,  if  my  gold  has  been  light, 
or  my  silver  bad,  and  I  had  no  more,  they  have  immediately 
cried  out,  "  O  !  I  am  not  afraid  to  trust  you ;  "  and  I  have 
often  replied,  "Why,  you  don't  know  me."  The  answer 
always  is,  "O!  yes;  it  is  Mr.  Huntington ;  I  know  you 
well  enough."  And  I  am  sure  they  have  much  more  confi- 
dence in  Mr.  Huntington  than  he  has  in  himself.  But  God 
often  makes  his  poor  children  appear  as  stars  in  the  eyes  of 
others,  when  they  are  like  bottles  in  the  smoke  in  their  own 
eyes.  Psalm  cxix.  83. 

But  I  must  now  return  to  the  time  of  my  returning  from 
the  north  country.  I  before  observed,  that  some  small 
debts  were  then  discharged.  But  soon  after  this,  the  hand 
of  God  was  fast  closed  again,  which,  by  the  by, 'I  am  as 
sensible  of  as  I  am  of  the  heat  of  the  sun.  This  continued 
for  some  time ;  and  for  all  that  time  I  watched  and  observed 
it  narrowly.  And  at  this  time  there  was  a  debt  due  of 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  211 

twenty  pounds ;  though  it  was  never  asked  for  nor  demand- 
ed*, yet  I  knew  it  was  due.  It  was  for  tythes ;  for,  though 
I  am  a  gentleman  of  the  cloth  myself,  yet,  being  not  a  reg- 
ular, but  an  irregular,  I  am  constrained  to  pay  tythes,  offer- 
ings, dues,  and  fees,  though  I  live  upon  nothing  but  offer- 
ings myself;  and  these  are  neither  few  nor  small. 

This  small  sum  hung  long  in  hand.  I  looked  different 
ways,  and  chalked  out  different  roads,  for  the  Almighty  to 
walk  in ;  but  his  paths  were  in  the  deep  waters,  and  his 
footsteps  were  not  known.  No  raven  came,  neither  in  the 
morning  nor  in  the  evening.  There  was  a  gentlewoman  at 
my  house  on  a  visit,  and  I  asked  her  if  she  had  got  the  sum 
of  twenty  pounds  in  her  pocket,  telling  her,  at  the  same 
time,  how  much  I  wanted  it.  She  told  me  she  had  not ; 
if  she  had,  I  should  have  it.  A  few  hours  after  the  same 
woman  was  coming  into  my  study,  but  she  found  it  locked, 
and  knocked  at  the  door.  I  let  her  in,  and  she  said,  "  I 
am  sorry  I  disturbed  you."  I  replied,  "  You  do  not  disturb 
me;  I  have  been  begging  a  favor  of  God,  and  I  had  just 
done  when  you  knocked ;  and  that  favor  I  have  now  got  in 
faith,  and  shall  shortly  have  in  hand,  and  you  will  see  it." 
The  afternoon  of  the  same  day  two  gentlemen  out  of  the 
city  came  to  see  me;  and,  after  a  few  hours'  conversation, 
they  left  me,  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  each  of  them,  at 
parting,  put  a  letter  into  my  hand,  which,  when  they  were 
gone,  I  opened,  and  found  a  ten  pound  note  in  each.  I 
immediately  sent  for  the  woman  up  stairs,  and  let  her  read 
the  letters,  and  then  sent  the  money  to  answer  that  demand. 
About  this  time  an  affair  happened  which  I  do  not  care 
to  pass  over.  I  had  a  few  very  fine  store  pigs  in  my  yard, 
and  a  neighbor  of  mine  had  the  sad  hap  to  lose  one,  which 
he  had  kept  for  some  time  for  breeding.  To  repair  his 
loss  I  made  him  a  present  of  one  of  mine,  which  are  of  a 


212 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 


very  good  sort.  Two  more  very  poor  men  in  the  country, 
who  are  obliged  to  live  by  faith  as  well  as  myself,  wanted 
each  of  them  a  pig  to  keep  for  the  winter,  and  I  made  each 
of  them  a  present  of  one.  A  person  being  sick  in  the 
house,  had  a  mind  to  a  bit  of  one,  and  I  ordered  one  to  be 
killed ;  and,  soon  after  that,  a  sudden  death  happened  to 
another ;  so  that  I  was  obliged  to  buy  two,  which  cost  me 
five  guineas,  and  not  so  good  as  my  own.  A  day  or  two 
after  this,  when  I  went  home,  I  saw  seven  fat  sheep  and  a 
fat  lamb  in  my  field.  I  asked  my  man  where  they  came 
from.  He  said  he  knew  not.  "  Last  night,"  said*  he,  "  a 
man  brought  them,  and  I  told  him  he  had  brought  them  to 
the  wrong  place,  for  I  had  bought  none,  and  I  was  sure  my 
master  had  bought  none  ;  and  therefore  I  desired  him  to 
take  them  back  again."  The  man  replied,  "  Is  this  Mr. 
Huntington's  house?"  The  answer  was,  "Yes,  it  is." 
"  Then,"  says  the  man,  "  my  orders  were  to  drive  them 
here ;  and  here  I  will  leave  them,  nor  will  I  drive  them  any 
where  else."  And  the  man  was  right. 

Another  disaster  which  befel  me  was  this.  The  last 
summer  being^  very  hot  and  dry,  I  had  no  latter  grass  to 
mow.  This  I  feared  would  fall  heavy  upon  me,  as  my  rowen 
hay  keeps  my  cows ;  and  I  have  sold  as  much  as  has  brought 
me  in  fifty  or  sixty  pounds  besides ;  but  last  year  I  mowed 
none,  and  hay  being  at  such  an  high  price,  and  being  also 
obliged  to  keep  all  my  cattle  on  it,  I  should  have  little  or 
none  to  sell  of  the  best  sort,  and  that  I  should  very  sensibly 
feel  this.  However,  when  the  rains  came  on,  and  the  latter 
grass  began  to  spring,  some  friend  sent  me  two  Scotch 
bullocks ;  and  another  gentleman  sent  me  two  Welsh  ones  : 
and  my  foreman  advised  me  to  buy  four  more,  which  I  did 
at  about  five  pounds  ten  shillings  per  head ;  and,  when  I 
had  made  them  tolerably  fat,  they  fetched  me  nearly,  upon 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  213 

an  average,  twelve  pounds  ten  shillings  apiece  ;  so  that  this 
made  up  the  loss  of  the  rovven  hay. 

But  now  another  difficulty  presented  itself  to  view, 
and  that  was  the  enormous  price  of  malt  and  hops;  malt 
thirteen  shillings  per  bushel,  and  hops  at  four  shillings  per 
pound.  And  we  use  a  great  deal  of  beer  in  the  time  of 
mowing  and  haymaking;  and  I  like  to  make  it  tolerably 
good,  for  I  cannot  endure  to  see  the  poor  people  tread  the 
winepresses  and  suffer  thirst.  Job  xxiv.  11.  And  another 
sad  calamity  presented  itself  also,  and  that  was  the  extrava- 
gant price  of  oats,  and  four  horses  to  keep ;  and,  though 
my  favorite  young  horse  has  been  coveted  by  several,  yet  I 
did  not  care  to  part  with  him ;  for  if  I  have  any  hobbies  in 
this  world,  they  are  most  certainly  my  gardens  and  my  living 
creatures.  Besides,  to  sell  a  horse  would  look  as  if  the 
Doctor  was  sinking  in  the  world.  And,  to  add  to  all  this, 
the  Philistines  had  lately  been  upon  me ;  I  mean  the  tax- 
gatherers.  I  am  never  spared  upon  this  head.  I  pay  some 
pounds  per  annum  poor's-rates,  even  for  the  chapel ;  and, 
upon  my  appealing  to  the  higher  powers  to  know  the  cause, 
a  wise  man  informed  me  that  chapels  were  nothing  but 
shops,  and  Lord  Mansfield  had  declared  it ;  and  therefore  it 
must  be  true.  However,  many  gentlemen  are  much  in  the 
dark  about  the  goods  that  we  shopkeepers  deal  in ;  for,  had 
they  ever  bought  either  wine  or  milk  without  money  and 
without  price,  they  would  set  more  value  upon  such  a  shop 
than  they  would  upon  the  Bank  of  England  or  the  Royal 
Exchange. 

But,  to  proceed.  Brewing  time  came  on,  and  no  malt  ; 
and,  having  been  shorn  by  the  Philistines,  I  could  procure 
none.  Nevertheless,  T  expected  it  from  some  quarter  or 
other ;  for,  if  we  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness, all  other  things  are  to  be  added  unto  us;  the 
28 


214  THE    BANK     OF     FAITH. 

morrow  is  to  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself.  Never- 
theless, it  pleased  God  to  exercise  me  for  some  length  of 
time.  But  I  have  often  observed,  that,  when  the  trial  has 
been  sharp  and  long,  the  blessing  has  been  the  more  abun- 
dant when  it  came,  and  received  with  the  more  gratitude 
and  thankfulness.  And,  in  process  of  time,  the  Lord  sup- 
plied all  my  wants  without  money  and  without  price ;  for 
two  gentlemen;  of  Ringmer  in  Sussex,  sent  me  three  quar- 
ters of  malt,  and  one  quarter  of  peas ;  another,  at  Lewes, 
sent  me  five  quarters  of  oats ;  a  gentleman,  of  Bolney  in 
Sussex,  sent  me  fifteen  quarters  of  oats ;  a  gentleman,  in 
Bedfordshire,  sent  me  ten  quarters  of  malt,  and,  since  that 
time,  four  quarters  more ;  so  that  I  never  was  so  well  pro- 
vided with  beer  for  haymaking  in  this  world ;  and,  as  God 
did  not  send  me  money  to  buy  it,  he  sent  it  to  me  by  the 
hands  of  them  that  would  take  no  money  for  it.  Never 
since  I  have  been  in  the  world  have  I  known  provision  to 
be  at  such  an  extortionate  price  as  in  the  last  winter ;  nor 
did  God  ever  send  me  in  such  a  stock  before;  my  hall  was 
almost  filled  with  sacks  of  corn.  Behold,  the  eye  of  the 
Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  Jiim,  upon  them  that  hope  in 
his  mercy,  to  deliver  their  soul  from  death,  and  to  keep  them 
alive  in  famine.  Psalm  xxxiii.  18,  19. 

I  have  likewise  a  few  poor  pensioners  who,  under  God, 
look  to  me  for  assistance,  and  hitherto  I  have  been  enabled 
to  assist  them  ;  and  I  think  it  my  duty  so  to  do ;  and  this 
labor  of  love  contributes  not  a  little  towards  bringing  on 
the  gout  in  the  pocket.  I  have  also,  when  it  has  pleased 
my  heavenly  Father  to  try  me  on  this  head  pretty  sharply, 
been  ready  to  conclude  that  the  matter  must  unavoidably 
terminate  in  a  failure  ;  and  have  come  to  a  determination 
to  adopt  the  mode  of  the  miser,  and,  for  the  future,  observe 
every  sixpence  and  every  shilling  that  went  out  of  my 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  215 

pocket,  and  in  this  way  I  should  bring  myself  about.  But, 
to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  I  never  continued  one  whole 
day  in  this  mind ;  for,  as  soon  as  ever  God  sent  it  in  again, 
I  was  like  the  travailing  woman  at  her  deliverance,  I  re- 
membered no  more  the  anguish  for  joy  that  my  good  Go<J 
had  appeared  again.  Farthermore  :  when  providence  has 
seemed  long  to  frown  upon  me,  and  God's  hand  to  go  out 
against  me,  as  poor  Naomi  complains,  and  I  have  doubted 
and  feared  whether  he  ever  would  appear  again,  the  thoughts 
of  parting  with  my  gardens,  my  cows,  my  sheep,  my  horses, 
fowls,  &c.,  has  mortified  me  not  a  little;  and,  when  this  has 
been  the  case,  God  always  holds  back  the  face  of  his  throne, 
and  spreadeth  his  cloud  upon  it.  Job  xxvi.  9.  But,  when 
the  cross  has  had  the  desired  effect,  and  I  have  been  so 
resigned  to  his  heavenly  will  as  not  to  give  the  turn  of  a 
straw  whether  I  had  a  garden  or  not,  or  whether  I  lived  in 
a  house  or  a  hovel,  the  cloud  is  sure  to  disperse,  and  a 
shower  of  blessings  to  attend  the  dispersion ;  so  that  I  have 
seemed  more  firmly  established  in  my  situation  than  ever  I 
was  before. 

Once  more.  As  the  apostle  says,  All  things  are  for  the 
elect's  sake,  I  really  believe  it  has  pleased  God  to  raise  me 
up  and  send  me  forth,  not  only  into  the  ministry,  that  I 
might  tell  them  that  fear  God  what  he  hath  done  for  my 
soul ;  but  it  hath  pleased  him  to  keep  me  depending  on  his 
providence,  from  hand  to  mouth,  throughout  the  whole 
course  of  my  pilgrimage,  that  I  might  publish  to  the  church 
at  large,  not  a  recital  of  what  Providence  has  done  for  oth- 
ers, but,  as  a  living  witness  of  the  facts,  what  he  has  done 
for  me,  to  encourage  the  faith  of  others.  And  God  has  so 
done  it  that  infidelity  itself  cannot  give  this  my  testimony 
the  lie ;  for  these  things  were  not  done  in  a  corner.  The 
persons  whom  God  hath  raised  up  and  made  use  of  to  assist 


216  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

me  in  times  of  need,  being  in  number  above  five  hundred 
brethren,  are  all  witnesses  of  these  facts,  for  of  these  the 
greater  part  remain  unto  this  present,  but  some  are  'fallen 
asleep.  Nor  have  I  a  single  doubt  but  it  is  the  will  of  God 
that  I  should  publish  these  things.  Of  this  I  have  had  a 
most  glaring  proof  but  this  week;  for,  after  I  had  begun 
this  narrative,  and  wrote  about  two  thirds  of  it,  I  got  weary 
of  it,  and  cold  to  it,  and  laid'  it  aside  for  two  or  three 
months,  and  seemed  to  have  no  inclination  to  meddle  with 
it  any  more.  But,  at  the  beginning  of  last  week,  I  had 
several  debts  brought  to  my  mind,  and  set  continually  before 
me,  and  being  at  the  same  time  under  my  often  infirmity, 
the  gout  in  the  pocket,  (I  call  it  the  gout ;  for,  when  I  have 
got  a  little  money,  I  am  for  going  here  and  there  into  the 
country  to  visit  the  brethren,  and  see  how  they  do ;  but, 
when  my  infirmity  is  upon  me,  I  am  confined  to  my  work 
in  town ;)  seeing  several  debts  set  before  my  eyes,  and  being 
at  the  same  time  afflicted  with  this  disorder,  God's  hand 
being  quite  shut  up  ever  since  I  returned  from  Lewes,  I 
cast  matters  over  in  my  mind,  and  said,  What  shall  I  do  ? 
The  answer  was,  Sit  down  and  finish  your  Bank  of  Faith, 
and  God  will  bless  the  sale  of  it,  and  that  will  answer  pres- 
ent demands.  And,  although  every  circumstance  here 
related  was  entirely  gone  both  from  my  mind  and  memory, 
having  laid  it  so  long  aside,  and  having  no  heart  to  meddle 
with  it  again,  yet,  when  I  came  to  a  determination  to  shut 
myself  up  in  town  all  day  long  to  write,  and  went  to  bed 
with  this  determination,  I  no  sooner  awaked  in  the  morning 
but  almost  every  circumstance  that  is  related  in  these  fifty 
or  sixty  latter  pages  of  the  work  were  all  brought  to  my 
mind,  and  set  in  order  before  me,  so  that  I  had  nothing  to 
do  but  to  sit  down  and  write  them  off  hand ;  and  no  sooner 
had  I  begun  but  I  found  my  soul  remarkably  happy,  and 


THE     BANK     OP     FAITH.  217 

much  delighted  in  the  work ;  and  I  believe  the  whole  of 
this  was  done  by  that  sweet  Remembrancer  who  is  to  bring 
all  things  to  our  remembrance  whatsoever  Jesus  Christ  has 
spoken  unto  us,  whether  by  chastisements  or  by  comforts, 
by  frowns  or  by  smiles,  in  providence  or  in  grace.  John 
xiv.  26. 

Moreover,  when  I  have  come  to  some  particulars,  which 
I  have  thought  would  be  disclosing  all  my  secret  conflicts 
to  some  that  hate  me,  and  be  an  entertainment  to  those 
who  feed  upon  ashes,  and  little  better  than  casting  pearls 
before  swine,  and  rather  hurt  the  consequence  of  the  Doc- 
tor-than  otherwise,  a  resolution  to  seek  God's  honor  and 
his  people's  good  before  my  own,  has  been  attended  with 
sensible  sensations  of  heavenly  comfort,  insomuch  that  my 
mouth  has  been  often  filled  with  laughter  while  I  have  been 
writing  them.  I  think  I  shall  tire  my  dear  friend  with  this 
long  scrawl ;  but,  as  the  subject  is  divine  goodness  to  mis- 
erable sinners,  it  will  allow  of  no  apology,  but  must  be 
admired  by  all  that  seek  out  God's  works,  and  have  pleasure 
therein.  Ever  yours, 

W.  H.     S.  S. 


LETTER   XII. 

TO    THE    SPARROW  ALONE    UPON    THE    HOUSETOP. 

Dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord : 

I  RECEIVED  yours,  and  was  not  at  all  alarmed  at  the 
contents.  Spiritual  desertions  are  some  of  the  strange 
things  that  happen  to  us.  Strange  they  appear  until  we 
come  to  know  that  the  same  are  accomplished  in  all  the 
brethren  more  or  less.  It  is  one  way  by  which  God  tries 
the  soundness  and  the  sincerity  of  our  hearts.  All  the 
vanities  of  this  world,  and  the  glories  of  it,  are  presented 
to  our  view  when  the  Lord  is  withdrawn ;  but  if  faith  and 
love  be  genuine,  the  soul  feels  itself  crucified  to  all  these ; 
nothing  can  repair  the  loss ;  no  vanity  can  fill  the  vacancy ; 
no  rival  can  meet  with  a  cordial  reception.  The  new-born 
soul  in  such  circumstances,  is  thus  described  by  the  prophet : 
For  the  Lord  hath  called  thee  as  a  woman  forsaken  and 
grieved  in  spirit,  and  a  wife  of  youth,  when  thou  wast  re- 
fused, saith  my  God.  This  soul  is  described  as  being 
called  of  God,  and  compared  to  a  woman  forsaken  of  her 
husband,  and  a  wife  of  youth,  or  a  young  woman  whose 
love  was  strong :  she  is  grieved  in  spirit  because  he  refused 
to  dwell  with  her.  This  is  the  description  the  Lord  gives 
of  a  young  convert  under  spiritual  desertions.  But  shall 
the  Lord  turn  away,  and  not  return  1  No :  /  will  never 
leave  thee,  I  will  never  forsake  thee.  It  is  by  his  going  and 
coming  that  we  increase  in  the  knowledge  of  him :  his  ab- 
sence makes  us  mourn  and  fast,  his  presence  is  our  joy 
and  banquet.  But  I  must  go  on  with  my  subject. 

Some  little  time  ago  I  was  invited  to  preach  at  a  distance 
from  London,  the  minister  of  the  place  being  sick.     It  was 


THE    BANK     OF     FAITH.  219 

some  time  before  I  could  raise  the  wind,  or  furnish  the 
pocket  for  this  expedition.  However,  at  last  it  came  in, 
though  I  forgot  the  quarter  it  came  from ;  and  with  about 
ten  pounds  I  set  off,  and  stayed  over  two  Sabbath  days. 
Just  before  my  departure,  a  gentleman  gave  me  six  guineas, 
another  ten,  and  two  others  gave  me  five  guineas  each. 
Another  pressed  me  hard  with  a  farther  present,  which  I 
refused,  being  full  and  abounding.  So  true  is  the  word  of 
God  —  Where  God  uses  a  servant  of  his  td  sow  spiritual 
things  bountifully,  carnal  things  are  as  bountifully  reaped; 
and  in  both  senses,  they  that  sow  sparingly  reap  sparingly. 
The  liberal  soitl  deviseth  liberal  things,  and  by  liberal 
things  shall  he  stand.  That  text  hath  often  been  a  support 
and  a  comfort  to  me ;  and  I  can  set  to  my  seal  that  God 
is  true. 

But  I  come  now  to  a  disaster  which  lately  befel  me.  My 
young  horse  fell  sick  about  two  months  ago,  and  so  he  con- 
tinues to  be,  with  little  likelihood  of  his  ever  recovering. 
A  valuable  cow,  which  cost  me  fifteen  pounds,  fell  ill,  and 
wasted  to  a  skeleton.  My  man  said  that  her  inside  was 
decayed,  so  we  parted  with  her  for  fifty  shillings.  Another 
cow  proving  unfruitful,  I  was  obliged  to  part  with  her. 
About  this  time  a  dog  came  in  the  night  and  killed  a  lamb, 
and  ate  up  almost  the  whole  of  it.  Three  nights  after  he 
came  again,  and  killed  five  capital  ewes,  and  wounded 
another  lamb.  From  that  time  two  men,  well  armed,  watch- 
ed for  three  or  four  nights,  when  about  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  the  dog  came  again.  They  both  fired  at  him,  and 
both  hit  him,  and  brought  him  down.  He  was  a  terrible 
creature,  of  the  lurcher  and  wolf  kind ;  but  he  met  with 
his  just  deserts.  I  have  just  received  a  lawyer's  letter  de- 
manding payment  for  the  dog.  All  these  things  are  against 
me.  But  not  many  days  after  this  the  Lord  sent  me,  by 


220  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

different  hands,  twenty-seven  pounds  ten  shillings,  and  thus 
repaired  my  loss.  Poor  Jacob  had  many  of  his  flock  torn 
by  wild  beasts,  and  some  stolen  by  day  and  some  by  night; 
and  Laban  made  him  bear  the  loss  of  them  all ;  but  God's 
blessing  upon  him  always  repaired  his  losses;  and  though 
his  wages  were  changed  ten  times,  he  went  home  to  his 
country  two  bands.  I  have  often  observed  that  in  whatever 
we  take  the  most  delight,  there  the  calamity  generally  falls. 
I  long  since  saw  this  in  the  death  of  four  or  five  of  my 
children,  and  I  see  it  now ;  for  it  is  my  favorite  horse  that 
is  sick,  and  my  little  flock,  that  are  the  principal  part  of 
my  hobby;  and  it  is  among  these  that  the  slaughter  was 
made. 

I  must  now  drop  a  few  observations  that  I  have  made 
upon  Providence,  which  I  hope  will  not  be  tedious  nor  dis- 
agreeable to  my  dearly  beloved  friend ;  I  mean  with  respect 
to  such  things  as  have  often  appeared  to  fulfil  the  desires 
of  my  heart  when  I  dared  not,  when  I  could  not  muster  up 
courage  enough  to  ask  or  to  pray  for  them.  For  instance : 
soon  after  my  deliverance  I  went  to  hear  the  word  at  Kings- 
ton upon  Thames,  where  I  sometimes  heard  a  gentleman 
from  London  who  was  something  of  an  orator ;  and  his 
oratory  had  such  an  effect  upon  me,  that  I  often  wished  I 
had  but  property  enough,  I  would  carry  that  person  at  my 
own  expense  all  over  the  nation,  that  he  might  spread  the 
gospel  of  the  Saviour  in  every  place.  And  yet  I  never  got 
any  comfort  or  establishment  from  his  ministry,  but  the 
contrary ;  for  I  was  sure  to  return  home  in  legal  bondage 
whenever  I  heard  him.  This  served  to  give  me  a  little  in- 
sight into  the  deception  and  vanity  of  human  oratory  with- 
out the  power  of  divine  grace.  Now,  though  I  never  dared 
to  ask  the  Almighty  for  riches  to  enable  me  thus  to  do,  yet 
he  soon  afterwards  opened  my  mouth  to  tell  others  what  he 


THE     BANK     OF     FAITH.  221 

had  done  for  me ;  and  it  hath  pleased  God  to  give  testimony 
to  the  word  of  his  grace.  And  thus  the  desires  of  the 
righteous  shall  be  granted.  Prov.  x.  24. 

Another  thing  I  much  desired  was,  that  I  might  be  enabled 
to  build  a  house  of  prayer  for  the  Lord,  to  show  the  love  and 
regard  I  had  to  him  for  his  manifold  mercies  to  me,  though  I 
never  dared  to  ask  God  to  enable  me  to  do  any  such  thing.  Yet 
it  fell  out  about  two  or  three  years  afterwards,  that  a  per- 
son at  Worpolsdon,  near  Guildford  in  Surrey,  offered  to  give 
a  bit  of  ground  and  an  old  barn,  and  to  secure  it  for  the 
good  of  the  Lord's  cause,  if  I  could  collect  the  sum  of  forty 
pounds  to  build  a  meeting.  I  did  so,  and  the  place  was 
soon  erected ;  but  the  person  who  took  upon  himself  to  see 
the  writing  executed,  and  the  place  secured,  neglected  it ; 
and  soon  after,  the  man  on  whose  ground  the  place  was 
built,  lost  his  wife,  and  taking  a  liking  to  a  woman  of 
some  property,  who  was  of  the  baptist  persuasion,  went 
into  the  water;  and  after  that  the  place  was  taken  away 
from  me,  and  a  baptist  minister  admitted  in  my  room,  where 
he  continued  but  a  few  weeks,  for  most  of  the  people  fol- 
lowed me  to  another  place. 

Before  I  was  turned  out  of  this  little  meeting,  the  Lord 
showed  me  what  was  coming  on,  and  sent  me  these  two 
passages  of  scripture :  Because  he  hath  oppressed  and  hath 
forsaken  the  poor ;  because  he  hath  violently  taken  away 
an  house  which  he  buildeth  not;  surely  he  shall  not  feel  qui- 
etness in  his  belly,  he  shall  not  save  of  that  which  he  desired; 
Job  xx.  19,  20.  And,  Whoso  rewardeth  evil  for  good,  evil 
shall  not  depart  from  his  house.  Prov.  xvii.  13.  Previous  to 
my  being  turned  out  of  the  meeting  I  opened  my  thoughts 
and  views  to  the  person  on  whose  ground  the  meeting  was 
built,  and  told  him  all. that  I  saw  coming  on,  as  it  respected 
himself:  that  he  was  going  to  be  married;  that  he  must  go 


222  THE     BANK     OF     FAITH. 

into  the  water  before  the  woman  would  have  him  ;  and  that 
afterwards  he  would  take  the  place  from  me.  And  in  this 
I  believe  I  told  him  all  the  intentions  of  his  heart.  He 
wept,  and  said,  "  God  forbid  !  "  But  very  soon  afterwards 
he  fulfilled  the  prediction.  And  when  I  received  my  orders 
to  come  there  no  more,  I  told  him  that  evil  would  never 
depart  from  his  house.  To  which  he  replied,  "  It  is  a  light 
thing  to  be  judged  of  you,  or  of  man's  judgment."  How- 
ever, soon  afterwards  God»sent  an  evil  spirit  among  the  few 
that  abode  there,  and  divided  and  scattered  them  into  all 
winds.  The  premises  were  sold,  and  my  little  meeting 
was  sold  also,  for  a  place  to  put  corn  in.  Nor  did  that  man 
ever  prosper  afterwards  as  long  as  he  lived;  and  he  died  a 
few  years  after  this  affair  happened. 

We  afterwards  built  a  little  place  at  Working  in  Surrey, 
and  I  collected  about  twenty-five  pounds  towards  that ;  and 
the  word  is  preached  there  to  this  day.  Soon  after,  I  col- 
lected about  forty  pounds  towards  building  one  at  Sunbury 
in  Middlesex  ;  and  not  long  after,  the  Lord  enabled  me  to 
build  Providence  Chapel  in  London.  In  these  things  God 
fulfilled  the  desires  of  my  heart,  though  I  could  not  muster 
up  courage  to  pray  for  them. 

Farthermore,  I  long  wished  to  have  a  situation  where 
there  was  plenty  of  garden-ground,  as  I  understood  garden- 
ing, and  found  that  buying  garden  stuff  for  a  large  family 
took  a  deal  of  money.  And  it  has  pleased  my  God  to  grant 
me  this  also  :  He  will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear 
him.  Psalm  cxlv.  19. 

I  must  mention  two  more  of  the  desires  of  my  heart,  if 
my  dear  friend  is  not  weary  of  these  things.  I  much  wished 
for  a  place  with  two  or  three  acres  of  land,  being  desirous 
of  keeping  a  cow,  as  there  is  no  such  thing  as  good  milk  to 
be  got  in  London,  and  milk  is  a  very  useful  article  in  a  large 


THE     BANK     OFFAITH.  223 

family.  I  aimed  no  higher  than  a  dairy  of  one  cow,  and 
for  years  tried  hard  to  get  such  a  situation,  and  had  nearly 
accomplished  it  once,  by  taking  a  house  in  Cravon-hill,  near 
Bayswater,  but  was  disappointed,  and  therefore  gave  up  all 
expectations  of  it.  But  not  long  after  I  was  settled  where 
I  now  am  ;  and  instead  of  one  cow,  the  Lord  sent  me  four. 

Once  more.  Preaching  once  a  week  in  the  city,  it  often 
happened  in  the  winter  season,  that  it  rained  or  snowed  on 
the  nights  of  my  being  there.  At  such  times  it  was  seldom 
that  a  hackney-coach  could  be  got,  being  generally  all  taken 
up  ;  so  that  I  was  obliged  frequently  to  walk  to  Paddington. 
And  not  a  few  deplorable  wet  journeys  have  I  had  of  this 
sort,  which  made  me  often  wish  that  my  circumstances 
would  enable  me  to  engage  a  glass-coach  statedly  for  two  or 
three  nights  in  the  week.  But  how  this  desire  was  granted, 
and  exceeded  by  the  gift  of  the  coach  and  horses,  I  have 
related  before. 

I  have  one  more  reigning  desire  in  my  heart,  that  has 
been  there  for  many  years,  which  has  never  yet  oeen  fully 
granted,  though  I  really  believe  it  will  in  God's  own  time 
and  way  ;  and  when  it  is  accomplished,  perhaps  my  dear 
friend  may  hear  from  me  again.  Till  then,  farewell.  Be 
of  good  comfort,  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  thee. 

Ever  thine  in  faith  and  affection. 

W.  H.     S.S. 


THE    END. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

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